


Small Packages

by Darkwillow6



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Conversations, Dry Humping, F/F, Oral Sex, POV First Person, Pregnancy, Pregnant Kelly Olsen, Pregnant Sex, Some angst, Strap-Ons, Suspense, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Valentine's Day, thigh riding, top!Alex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:26:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 88,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22706914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkwillow6/pseuds/Darkwillow6
Summary: Kelly gives Alex a gift unlike any she’s ever received and it leads them toward their future. I’m terrible at summaries...
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Kelly Olsen
Comments: 229
Kudos: 268





	1. Valentine’s Day

The DEO was under explicit instruction to not disturb me unless the world was ending. It was Valentine’s Day. My second one with Kelly. We’d just finished dinner and we were on our way home in an Uber because we’d both had a few drinks. I felt tense because we were in the backseat together and all I wanted to do was pull her into my lap and couldn’t really think of much else. I looked over at her for the 394th time that night and her tight red dress slipped another inch up her thigh when she shifted in her seat.

My leg bobbed up and down as I tapped my foot impatiently. Then, Kelly put her hand on my thigh to calm me, but it had the opposite effect. I swallowed thickly, still entirely conscious of the warmth of her touch. She leaned closer to say something causing my gaze to go immediately to the lowest point of her dress’s neckline. I barely heard her with the road noise and the low volume of her voice.

“Thank you for dinner.”

“Of course. I would have cooked, but I thought that might reduce my chances,” I said, making eye contact at last.

She laughed and sat back in her seat, not knowing that the sound made my chest feel like everything inside was just floating. A couple of minutes later, we were outside our building and my heart rate had been gradually increasing since we left the restaurant. I followed her to the door, not bothering to hide the fact that I was absolutely staring at her ass in that dress. When she opened it, I shut it behind us and the sound of her clicking the lock into place echoed through the anticipatory silence.

We barely made it to the kitchen. I had her hips pinned to the edge of the counter with mine and as badly as I wanted to kiss her, I started with her neck because she was wearing that perfume that I really liked. I held onto the edge of the counter because if I put my hands on her, this would inevitably move much more quickly than I’d planned. I pulled back for a second just so I could see the flush on her cheeks and the darkness in her eyes.

I leaned back in, this time with her lips as my target and I lightly bit the bottom one. The soft gasp it resulted in was more than enough encouragement. Even through my leather jacket, I could feel her palms pressing into my back as she held me to her. Then, she moved her hands to the collar, pushing it off of my shoulders insistently. I released my death grip on the counter long enough to take it the rest of the way off and toss it onto a nearby chair.

It landed safely despite the fact that we were still kissing mid-throw. After just a couple of minutes, I gave up trying to keep my hands off of her. I held her firmly by the waist and lifted her to sit on the counter. Her knees were held together by the tightness of her dress which was the only reason my hands weren’t making their desired journey upward. In this position, I had to tilt my head up slightly to keep kissing her. 

By this point, I’d usually have her mostly naked and halfway to the bed, but I was much too caught up in the taste of her lips and the feeling of her fingernails scratching lightly at the back of my neck. My tongue traced her bottom lip for just a second before I sucked it into my mouth, taking in every single one of her reactions. The way her upper body pushed closer. The way her hands fisted at the hem of my shirt now. The way her subtle moan reverberated through me.

Eventually, she pushed me back slightly with a flat palm on the center of my chest, through which I was sure she could feel my heart pounding. It took a while for my mind to get working again and, in the meantime, I just listened to her erratic breathing. She slid off the counter when she caught her breath and I figured it was probably her intention to move things to a more comfortable location, but she stood still in front of me.

“I want to give you your gift first,” she whispered.

“Uh, I thought that’s what we were doing,” I replied.

With a barely perceptible roll of her eyes, she laughed softly at me. Then, she took my hand and pulled me toward the couch.

“Sit,” she said.

I obeyed, as usual, and followed her with my eyes as she went to her desk and pulled out a large manila envelope from the middle drawer. It had a shiny, red bow on it. Her steps were hesitant as she made her way back to where I was waiting. When she sat down, she was still clutching the envelope, seeming to debate whether or not she wanted to give it to me after all. After a few seconds of hesitation, she set it on my lap.

I flipped it over, meeting Kelly’s eyes and finding apprehension. When she bit the corner of her lip, even I started to feel nervous on her behalf. I went through a few different guesses in my mind as I undid the clasp on the opening. I pulled out a small stack of papers, probably about ten total, all stapled together. As I started looking over the content, I wasn’t any less confused. It was paperwork from Kelly’s gynecologist. I wasn’t sure how to react because I never could have expected this.

“Is this some kind of nerdy foreplay? Because I could get you a copy of mine by tomorrow if this is your thing,” I said, flipping through the pages.

She halted my perusal with a hand on mine. When I looked up at her, she took the papers out of my hand and set them on the coffee table, scooting closer to me. She definitely wasn’t any less anxious than a minute ago.

“It’s more of a conversation starter,” she said.

“I’ll say,” I replied.

“I know you’ve wanted to be a mom for a long time,” she started.

It was probably one of the last things I expected her to say and I was still in need of a lot more information. My expression must have given it away because she opened her mouth to speak again.

“Look. I don’t want you to feel obligated…” she said, stopping there.

“Obligated to do what?” I asked.

I put my hand on hers, which were fidgeting in her lap. She’d yet to look me in the eyes since I opened the envelope. When she finally did, I hoped she saw the encouragement in mine. 

“I’ve thought a lot about this. You’ve got your adoption application and I’m not trying to change your plans, but Alex, I can carry our baby. I want to do that. And maybe we’re not even there yet-”

“Wait. Stop. Are you serious?” I asked, barely able to get the words out.

My breath was stuck in my throat and I could barely see her until the tears fell, clearing my vision at last.

“I am. Is that okay?” she asked, voice shaky.

“You’re giving me everything I’ve ever wanted and you ask me if it’s okay?” I replied, laughing and wiping away tears with both hands.

“This is something you’ve been wanting to do on your own since before you even met me.”

“And then I met you,” I replied immediately.

“I’m just saying… I know it’s complicated because you had this idea of having a child that would be yours and we never really talked about where I would fit into that dynamic.”

“You’re right. We haven’t. We should have. Because then you’d know that doing this with you is a million times better than doing this alone. But I never could have asked you for this,” I said, still in shock about what she was offering.

“Why not?” she asked, squeezing my hand.

“It’s too big. I mean, I could carry. I chose not to for a lot of reasons. How could I ask you to do something that I’m unwilling to do?”

“Because I don’t have those reasons. I’m ready to start a family with you, Alex. We can start whenever you want,” she replied.

“I love you so much.”

“I love you, too. Now, how about we go in the room and try it the old-fashioned way. You know, just to make 100% sure it doesn’t work,” she said.

Her words shifted the energy back to the amorous atmosphere from earlier only it was mixed with this other thing I’d never felt before. All of my skin tingled when she got up and went into the bedroom, not even looking back to make sure I was following. I’d planned to, but my brain was still working on that. When I finally made it, she was sitting at the edge of the bed, closest to the closet, pulling her shoes off one at a time.

She tossed them haphazardly in the general direction of the shoe rack while she watched my approach. Once she was barefoot, I pulled her up to a standing position. This time felt so different from the hundreds of others. I figured it was the way things were supposed to feel between two people who both wanted the same thing. It was a major step forward for both of us and Kelly being brave enough to make it happen was at least partially responsible for my unrelenting wetness.

I turned her around gently by her hips and brushed her hair to the side, over one shoulder. I kissed her neck with an open, wet mouth and breathed hotly onto the spot as I reached for the zipper. When I pulled it down, I felt the vibration in my fingertips the entire way until it finally halted at the uppermost curve of her backside. I worked my hands into the newly opened garment, one hand on each side of her waist, pushing it downward. 

Once I’d gotten it past her hips, it fell away unobstructed. She turned back around, still in my grasp and that look in her eyes broke another dam. I kissed across her chest, appreciating the important work being done by this brand-new, push-up bra. I could still smell her perfume, now mixing with the barely perceptible, but extraordinarily arousing, scent of her sweat. Her pink underwear was darker in one spot where she’d soaked all the way through.

My fingers were drawn immediately to that spot and she grabbed my wrist, adding more pressure to my touch. I focused there for a moment, working her up until her arms gripped each other behind my neck. It gave me the ability to lift her, legs clenching around my hips. I walked the short distance to my side of the bed, her body still wrapped around mine. I climbed on carefully, one knee at a time and set her down. Her legs released me and fell open. I wished I could feel her, but I was still entirely dressed at this point.

She pulled off my shirt a second later and I could feel the sweat cooling on my skin. Then, she reached between us, undoing my pants effortlessly despite the position. I pulled back to rest on my knees so I could get them the rest of the way to the floor. She sat up while I was engaged in this task and when I turned back to her, she’d taken off her bra and was already lying back down. I got rid of the rest of what I was wearing so that Kelly’s underwear was all that remained. I steadied myself on top of her and feeling much more of her skin against mine so suddenly made it almost impossible to keep the slow pace going. 

Still, somehow, I kept thinking about what had gotten us into bed tonight in the first place. Kelly was going to be pregnant soon. She wanted to have a baby with me. The emotions that caused were infinitely complex and I’d found that it made sex unbelievably intimate. It always was with her, but this was certainly at a much different level.

“You’re distracted,” she whispered, pulling back as much as she could in the lack of space between us.

“Sorry. Good things,” I replied.

“You’re distracted from good things by… good things?” she asked, a teasing smile on her lips.

“I’m excited to do this with you, Kelly. To have a family with you. You’re the most incredible person I’ve ever met,” I answered.

“Are you forgetting that your sister is a literal superhero?” she asked.

“No,” I said, kissing her. “And please don’t bring up my sister when one or both of us is naked.”

She laughed and pulled me back down by my neck to kiss her again. I kept the kiss going to delay things because this was one of those times where I was going to go as slow as she could possibly take. Eventually, though, her breast ended up in my palm and the gentle massage coaxed the most stimulating sounds from her. I was kissing her jaw, neck, and chest now because I could no longer breathe effectively with her lips on mine.

I scratched her just roughly enough from ribs to hip and held fast to the softly thrusting joint. I couldn’t hold out for one more second when I felt the heat pushing outward from between us. My hand grew warmer as it found minimal space between us and my fingertips teased just beyond the waistband. Her breathing increased rapidly from there and her lips pressed together a few times, the word ‘please’ at the ready. She didn’t say it, though, and I wondered if I would hear it tonight.

I pushed deeper into the fabric confines. Just another one or two inches to drive up the anticipation. I muffled her next moan with my lips just as I reached her most sensitive spot. I felt the vibration of her vocal cords all the way through my lips and tongue. She pushed her hips up into the touch and my fingers were centimeters from slipping inside her. But she was so wet that I knew she’d come in a few seconds if I wasn’t careful. I pulled my hand completely out of her underwear amid nonverbal protest.

I sat back, lifting her legs so they were at a ninety degree angle with her reclined body. Her calves rested on my right shoulder, as I tugged the dampened underwear up toward the ceiling. This time, when I climbed on top of her, my right thigh was between her legs. I went back to kissing her, though I was mostly focused on the smearing wetness as she lifted her hips to get more friction.

I figured this would be just enough to keep her on the edge, but not enough to push her over. I slid myself against her slowly for a while. Her breathing evened out and matched the tempo of my movements on top of her. When her hands traveled downward, gripping my hips, I knew I’d already worked her up too much. Unexpectedly, though, she pulled the heel of her foot toward herself, causing her thigh to press firmly into me. I was so caught off guard that I had to steady myself before continuing.

“You’re so wet, Alex,” she breathed into my ear.

At that, her hips assumed a much faster pace. I wasn’t moving because I was overstimulated long before I ended up with her thigh shoved against me. Her hold on me tightened in an attempt to get me to keep going. I took her signal and proceeded with careful and precise thrusts, maximizing her friction while minimizing mine. That course of action seemed the most effective until her moans shifted up an octave. 

“Please, don’t stop,” she begged.

“Are you gonna come?” I asked, wanting to give her more.

She nodded vigorously.

“I want to feel you,” I said, desperately.

“Okay,” she rushed out between heavy breaths.

I moved my thigh away from her just enough to replace it with my hand, two fingers already sliding into her. The muscles of her thigh, that was still between my legs, twitched as she adjusted around me. She pushed her body against me until my palm was flat and completely flush with her. I could feel some of her warmth pooling around my fingers, making it nearly impossible to concentrate. I felt the spasms triggering inside of her and I kissed her neck to add to the sensation. 

Her grip on my fingers was impressive and the evidence of her orgasm made me realize that, at some point, I’d started rocking against her still erect thigh. Goosebumps raced across my body when her nails dug into my skin a little deeper than usual. I was fast approaching my own orgasm as she was barely beginning to recover from her own. She kissed me softly on the lips which was an intense contrast to the writhing and grabbing from a moment ago. 

A second later, she was guiding me against her with a hand on each of my hips. With the amount of lubrication between us, the movements were effortless. I felt myself building toward the unbearable precipice, but I could maybe hold out for another few seconds. It felt so good that I didn’t want it to end. 

“You feel so good. Come for me, my Alex,” Kelly whispered. 

That, coupled with the feeling, right after, of her lips against my shoulder, was too much. My body jerked against her and she just held me to her, a thin layer of sweat between us. Despite the sensitivity, I slid against her thigh once or twice more just to enjoy the shiver I felt from Kelly. When I finally fell to the mattress, I moved to lie on my back because I desperately needed to cool down now.

“I like when you say that,” I said minutes later when I could breathe.

“What?” she asked, turning to lie on her side.

“My Alex,” I replied.

She smiled and kissed me. 

“Oh, I almost forgot to give you your gift. Not that I can top you,” I said, reaching under the bed for the wrapped box.

“Don’t worry. You top me plenty,” she joked.

Just that simple comment made me think about topping her again before she even got the paper off of the box. I pushed those thoughts aside long enough to hand it to her and she made a face like she was surprised by the weight of it. My anticipation grew stronger when she finally knew what she was holding.

“Oh, wow. Is this the one you showed me a picture of online?”

“Yeah. Since you said you liked it, because it was small so I thought… maybe you’d want to give it a try sometime.”

“Give me fifteen minutes,” she said.

Then, she tossed the harness and accompanying attachment onto the nightstand, before kissing my lips that were still tender from all the attention they’d received tonight. Just the idea of wearing that and being inside her was exciting me beyond my control. Despite that, I thought I’d last longer this time around. Thirteen more minutes and I’d find out.


	2. Valentine's Day: Round 2... And 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picks up where Chapter 1 left off.

When she got up to get a glass of water (I told her she might as well just bring the gallon to bed), I went into the bathroom to properly clean Kelly’s gift. I guess it was more our gift, though, because I was already getting enjoyment out of it and I hadn’t even slid it on yet. It took me very little time to get it on and adjusted. I looked in the mirror, feeling awkward about the protrusion, but this would be well worth the initial jitters. When I came out of the restroom, fiddling with the tightness of the straps, Kelly was already back in bed. I could practically feel her eyes dragging across me, inch by inch. 

“Come here,” she said, when I stood still.

I climbed into bed next to her, both of us resting with our backs against the headboard. She looked over at me, then immediately down at my lap.

“I think I’m supposed to be the nervous one. I mean, you’ve done this before,” she said, reading my expression.

“Not with someone who hasn’t. I just want to make sure it’s good for you.”

She started kissing me and after a while, I almost forgot about the permanent erection until she gasped when it bumped her hip. I needed a lot more focus than this. 

“You’ll tell me if you want to stop?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

“I’m gonna go really slow, okay?” 

“Okay,” she said, nodding her head.

Before we even got to the point of entry I needed to make sure she was as wet as possible. I got off of the bed and went to the foot of it, facing Kelly. I leaned toward her and held her by the calves, pulling her to the very edge of the bed in a second flat. I knelt down, shouldering the weight of Kelly’s thighs. She moved to rest on her elbows and her eyes met mine between her legs. When my tongue pressed into her, though, her head fell back between her shoulders. She was lying down again a second later.

Due to the anticipation of trying something new, she was much more perceptive to each swirl and pointed lick. I didn’t want to enter her when she was so close to coming because I wanted that to last, preferably infinitely. She was all breaths and moans already and when one of her hands met the back of my head, I admittedly got carried away. I pushed in closer to her, feeling the strap-on bump the bed. My hands wrapped over and around her thighs, two fingers of each hand holding her open wider.

“Alex, stop,” she gasped.

I pulled back, her wetness cooling on the whole lower half of my face.

“What is it?” I asked, panting.

“If you keep going, we won’t be able to-”

I knew what she was going to say so I pressed my tongue back into her. It effectively stopped her from finishing the thought out loud. Could I have told her that I planned to make her come one more time before we got to the main even? Sure. But why would I do that when I now, instead, got to watch her fight to keep from coming. More importantly, knowing she would lose that fight because she couldn’t read my bluff. Her frustrated grunts practically spelled out her internal struggle and I just kept going.

“I’m gonna come. Alex, you’re gonna make me-” 

Her words fell away again just as she did what she said she’d do. Every muscle was rigid as I worked my tongue through the abundant release. When her thighs separated enough for me to get my head out from between them, I eased her thighs off of my shoulders and fell back onto the bed, mirroring her position. Asynchronous breathing filled up the space. 

“I want you inside,” she said before she’d even gotten back to a resting heart rate.

“Okay. I’ll give you some time and then-”

“No. Now,” she interrupted.

“Are you-” 

“Now,” she breathed, moving up the bed to rest her head on the pillow.

I got on top of her, still not sure how she was already ready. At first, I was on all fours because I needed to adjust the directionality of my new appendage before getting any closer. I dipped my hips lower, holding it just at her opening. I was shaking a little because I didn’t want to hurt her. Using only the very tip, I entered her, alternating my gaze between the task and Kelly’s expression. She bit into her lower lip and I wasn’t yet sure if it was pleasure or pain, even with the accompanying moan, so I pulled out part of the way.

“It’s okay,” she whispered quickly, holding me in place.

I paused, but when she nodded reassuringly, I pushed back inside, going slightly deeper this time. The resistance inside her pressed the base against me, surprising me with its effectiveness. There were only a couple more inches remaining outside of her and my desire to be flush against her was overwhelming.

“Keep going,” she said, voice strained.

When I was completely inside her, she breathed quickly for a few seconds. I could feel a near imperceptible tug on the harness as she adjusted to the newly acquired thickness. This was way better than all the times I’d imagined it and we hadn’t even really gotten into it yet.

“How does it feel?” I asked, excitement causing my voice to quiver.

“Different. Good. I like that I can look at you. And that your hands are free.”

“Oh, yeah? Anywhere in particular you want my hands?” I asked, paused inside her.

She picked up my right hand from the mattress causing me to lean all my weight onto my left side, shifting inside her slightly. It caused her to shudder slightly, but she kept guiding my hand downward until she reached her own left cheek. I clutched the generous handful and found that it helped me go just a few more centimeters into her. I sucked on her shoulder just to divert some of the attention away from any slight discomfort she might be experiencing. Also, I kind of wanted to leave her a mark to remind her of tonight for the next few days.

To test our progress, I retreated about halfway, pausing for a second to indicate my intention, before reacquiring the space inside her. She released a grunt about the same length as my slow thrust and the sound had me dying to coax it from her again. I repeated the deliberately paced motion a few more times and I felt her relaxing into the rhythm of it. Now that she was more comfortable, I withdrew all but the tip and slightly increased my speed.

Now, she was in a constant state of moaning and grabbing at me, fingers slipping against sweat. We didn’t even have a blanket on us, but there was quite a bit of friction and exertion. I looked between our bodies for a few seconds, completely enthralled by the sight of the shaft, disappearing intermittently into her. It was covered in her slickness, easily visible against the opaque purple silicone.

“Faster,” she said, barely capable of the two syllables. 

I acquiesced immediately, unwilling to delay her third orgasm of the night. Her mouth was open, but she was no longer panting. Even though I was watching her expression right now, I felt the way her clenching muscles nearly forced me out of her. It simultaneously created delicious sensation against me where the base of the hard rubber was pressing. To stimulate her all the way through her orgasm, I moved in and out of her just a couple of inches. 

The pushback from within her got the better of me and when the final flutter of her walls jerked the harness, I was no longer able to stop myself. My body stiffened as I curled in on myself, burying my face in Kelly’s neck and sending my ever-hard appendage further into her than I’d planned. Her chest was hot from my harsh breathing against it and when it fully subsided, I got myself into a better position to facilitate pulling out of her.

“Are you ready for me to take it out?” I asked, somewhat exhausted.

“Yeah,” she said.

I carefully pulled back enough to grab the base with my hand, feeling the abundant wetness coating my fingers anywhere I touched it. I went slowly until I was half out of her, at which point the rest slipped out easily. From my angle, I could see the space I’d made inside her and from it dripped even more of her wetness than what trickled down the toy. I got on my back because any other position would have felt weird since I was still endowed.

Kelly cuddled against my side, resting a leg across my thighs, the bottom of the toy against the top of her thigh. The feeling of her soft skin against my very sensitive body caused an incredible sense of contentment. She kissed my lips once, then began descending a couple of inches at a time while attempting to unfasten the buckle at my hip at the same time. Then, she grasped it in one hand, giving me unexpected visual stimulation.

With her other hand on the harness, she slid it down my legs until it was off and back on the nightstand where it had begun the evening. Returning her attention to me, she straddled my lap. I held her still, sucking in a breath at the unexpected contact.

“Did you already…” she began.

“Yeah. I just, I could feel how tight you were when you were coming and it… I don’t know, it just happened. But, maybe we could try this later. With that,” I said, eyeing the strap-on.

“You’re pressing your luck. It’s after midnight,” she said.

“It’s also Valentine’s Day. And the day you said I could put a baby in you so…”

“Well, technically, it’s not Valentine’s Day anymore. And I need to go shower,” she countered.

“Me, too,” I said, as she got off the bed.

“Then you can take one after me,” she said, holding me back from getting up to follow.

“Hey,” I said, grabbing her hand and pulling her back to me.

“What?” she asked, readying herself to deny me again.

“You’re gonna be a really great mom,” I said.

I kissed her stomach because there wasn’t much else I could reach while still sitting down. It seemed appropriate anyway, given the discussion topic.

“You are, too,” she said, sniffling to keep from crying.

Then, she kissed my cheek and went into the bathroom. I fell back onto the bed to wait for her and I spent the time just replaying the night to better embed the details into the memory. Her scents. The way she looked in that red dress and everything underneath it. The tremble in her hands when she held my gift. There was no shortage of things to remember about tonight.

When we were both showered and finally back in bed, I assumed my usual position as big spoon, ensuring that I fit snugly against every one of Kelly’s curves. I still wasn’t feeling particularly tired. Well, I was actually exhausted, but I couldn’t turn my brain off. I’d never been able to fantasize about the future like this, knowing that things were finally going to start happening. I kissed Kelly’s shoulder, not sure if she was still awake.

“Go to sleep,” she whispered.

“I can’t.”

“Save the daydreaming for the daytime,” she advised.

“I can’t,” I repeated.

I backed up when I felt her shifting in my arms. Soon, she was facing me.

“We have time. Don’t get ahead of yourself. These things can take time sometimes. I just don’t want you to be disappointed if it takes a few tries.”

“I won’t be. That’s part of it, I know, but what I’m most excited about is taking this next step in my life with you. This could be, like, the biggest thing we ever do,” I explained.

“It probably will be,” she agreed, touching my cheek.

“I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that this happens for us.”

“I know. And so will I,” she replied.

“We’re really gonna do this,” I said, taking the moment to appreciate the reality.

“Yeah. We’re really gonna do this,” she said, kissing me one more time. “Now go to sleep.”

“I’ll try,” I replied, laughing.


	3. The Long Week

“Can you help me with this?” Kelly asked, referring to the zipper on the back of her dress.

“Looks like it’s already down,” I teased when I walked over to her.

“Up, please,” she said, grabbing my wrist before I could walk away.

“If you insist,” I said, sighing dramatically and zipping up the dress.

“I thought you’d be sated after last night,” she said, spritzing herself with perfume.

“Please. You know me better than that,” I scoffed.

“True. You were gunning for a fourth time,” she recalled.

“Will you be early tonight?” I asked.

“Probably late, actually. I have a late appointment.”

“Okay. Well, let me know when you’re on lunch and I’ll see if I can get away,” I replied.

“Lunch date sounds nice,” she said, giving me a peck on the lips.

I left a few minutes after her and my head was still in the clouds when I entered the main control room. It was quiet everywhere except my brain and I hoped the trend would last well into lunch. 

“So, how was your Valentine’s Day? No gratuitous details, please,” Kara said, walking into my office.

“Well, gratuitous details notwithstanding, it was amazing,” I answered.

“Good. So, what did she get you? If it’s sibling appropriate.”

“A baby,” I said, shrugging nonchalantly, waiting for her reaction.

“A baby? What do you mean?” she asked, confused.

“You know, like those things you carry in your uterus for a few months.”

“Okay, I know that. So, adoption…” she began, not able to phrase what she was trying to ask.

“Kelly’s going to get pregnant. She’s gonna have our baby.”

“Alex, what?! That’s amazing! I’m gonna be an aunt. Oh, my god,” she said, bouncing.

She rushed over and hugged me, my arms tangling in her cape. 

“When?” she asked, stepping back.

“I don’t know. Soon,” I said, wiping away the happy tears that had started.

“This is so great, Alex. I’m so happy for you both. We have to celebrate.”

“We haven’t talked about telling people yet. I just wanted to tell you.”

“Okay. Then you and I will celebrate. Drinks tonight?”

“Sure,” I replied.

A few hours later, I was on my way to Kelly’s office with sushi. When I got to the door, I saw that she was on her desk phone so I waited in the hallway, just watching her. She hadn’t seen me yet. I’d just noticed that the strap of the dress she was wearing, showed some of the mark I’d left on her shoulder. She hung up the phone and adjusted the strap to cover it fully, smirking, presumably at the memory of receiving it. 

When she looked at her watch, then her cell phone, I knocked on the door. She waved me in and I met her at her desk for a peck on the lips. Then, we sat down on the chairs by the window and I handed her a plastic container and a pair of chopsticks.

“Mm. How did you know I was craving sushi?” she asked. 

“Because we saw it in that movie we watched two nights ago and you said ‘now I’m craving sushi,’” I said, laughing.

“Sounds like me,” she said smiling, breaking her chopsticks apart.

“I told Kara,” I said, after a few seconds of comfortable silence.

“That was fast,” she said, amused. “Was she excited?”

“She’s ready to be an aunt, for sure,” I replied.

“Good. Maybe she can babysit when we need a night to ourselves. We’re not going to have too many of those once all this happens.”

“I’m sure she would be happy to,” I replied.

Her eyes closed for a second as she chewed her sushi, enjoying the flavor. 

“By the way, I’m going out with her for some drinks tonight. I won’t be out too late.”

“Stay out as late as you want,” she said.

What she didn’t know was that Kara was lucky I even agreed to drinks when the prospect of having Kelly naked in bed was the alternative.

“So… when were you thinking we’d, you know…” I said after a few bites, still not used to talking about this.

“We have an appointment on Friday.”

“We do?”

“Mhmm. To look over donors and place the order if we find someone we’re happy with.”

“That fast?” I asked, feeling mostly excited and a little anxious.

“I saw that look in your eyes when I told you. You’re ready to do this. We both are,” she said, taking another bite.

“You’re amazing,” I said.

She looked down and I saw her cheeks flush at the compliment. We finished eating a few minutes later. I would have stayed anyway, but she had an appointment coming in. I kissed her goodbye and hurried back to work. There was still minimal activity and Kara wandered around the DEO like a bored puppy. The only ones who were more bored were the cops because Kara rushed to take care of every call, craving action.

A few hours later, we were at the bar down the street, Kara back in her human clothes. She had a huge fruity drink in front of her with a weird name while I slowly sipped on my double of whisky. 

“So, I’ve narrowed it down to Aunt Kara or Auntie K. What do you think?”

“Definitely the first one,” I replied, laughing.

“Will you let me plan the baby shower?” she blurted.

“I’ll check with Kelly and let you know. But I have a billion other things to worry about first. Kelly’s not even pregnant yet and all I can do is think about babyproofing the apartment and applying to pre-schools,” I said.

“You should be enjoying this, Alex. Not spending every second researching and obsessing like you tend to do with everything else. Because this isn’t everything else.”

“Habit,” I explained, taking a sip.

“Well, knock it off. You do have a lot ahead of you, I know. But it’s going to be great. And you know I’ll help you. Eliza would probably drop everything and move here to help you. So, stop stressing,” she said, nudging me.

“Okay. You’re right,” I said, allowing her to talk sense into me.

After a few more rounds, we split a ride home. I got dropped off first so I told Kara to be safe and went up to the apartment. I struggled for a second with my keys because I was fairly tipsy at this point even though it was only a little after ten. When I finally got inside, Kelly was sitting on the couch reading, covered by a fluffy blanket.

“Hey, babe,” she greeted, setting the book down and coming over to me.

She kissed me on the lips and then licked hers.

“Whisky?” she asked.

“Not too much. Well, too much, but we got a ride,” I said, aware of her closeness.

“You should have called me. I would have come to get you,” she said, arms around my waist.

“It’s fine. Got to spend a little more time with Kara. She wants to plan our baby shower.”

“Well, she is welcome to do so. We have plenty of other things to take care of.”

“Right now, I only want to take care of you,” I told her, holding her closer.

“Let’s go get you some water,” she said, barely holding back a laugh.

She walked me into the kitchen and I leaned back against the counter as she handed me a cold bottle. While I was sipping, she walked into the bathroom and returned with a bottle of Advil. She popped it open and handed me two.

“Thank you.”

“Are you ready to go to sleep?” she asked when I set the nearly empty bottle on the counter.

“Sure,” I said, following her into the bedroom.

Kelly helped me change into my pajamas. It wasn’t necessary, but it was enjoyable. I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and when I came out, she was under the covers, the small bedside light still on. I climbed in on my side and cuddled next to her so that I could kiss her. She reciprocated until I slid my hand down to her hip.

“Not a chance. I’ve got a very early appointment tomorrow,” she warned.

“Which is why you should be fully relaxed. You’ll be better rested,” I tried, teasing one of her nipples by circling it with my fingertip.

“Okay, where is your ‘off’ button?” she asked laughing, halting my hand with hers.

“You know, I’m doing this for us. The pregnancy will be more likely to take if you’re, like, in procreate mode. I mean, that’s just science,” I said, knowing already that she didn’t buy it.

“And just what medical journal was this published in?” she asked.

“I don’t remember exactly where I read it,” I countered.

“Science,” she scoffed, turning onto her side to go to sleep.

I curled against her back, my hand going immediately to cup her breast. This was, after all, my favorite sleep position. Kelly’s chest rose and fell normally for a while until her longer, deeper breaths gave away that she’d fallen asleep. Knowing what we were about to do, I took the time to really appreciate this time alone with her. Once there were three of us, moments like this would likely be harder to come by. 

Friday seemed millions of years in the future and the fact that I hadn’t ‘turned off’ since Valentine’s Day didn’t make focusing on work any easier. I worked off some of that energy in the DEO gym. I had to add in more of my morning runs because I’d gotten in trouble on Tuesday for making Kelly late to work by joining her in the shower. Although, she didn’t exactly protest my tongue being inside her at the time. 

My excitement peaked on Thursday night. I’d just gotten home from work and Kelly had made dinner. The table was set, red wine already waiting. I looked around to see where she was and immediately spotted her in the kitchen, bending down the grab something from the lower cabinet. I spent a second or two (or ten) enjoying the view before I made my presence known by setting my keys down on the table by the door.

“Hey, babe. How was work?” she asked, holding the serving dish she’d just retrieved.

“Fine. Long,” I said, stepping close to her and kissing her on the lips.

She set the serving dish next to the stove and spooned the roasted vegetables into it from the large baking sheet. Her task was made slightly more difficult by my front pressing into her back. Taking advantage of the fact that her hair was pulled back, I kissed her neck. When she cleared her throat as a warning, I doubled down, kissing higher at her jawline. This time, she switched tactics and pretended not to notice what I was doing. I took a chance, cupping both of her breasts as she scooped up the last bits of carrot and potato. 

“I spent two hours making dinner so you will sit and eat every bite,” she said, turning and walking to the table with our side dish.

When Kelly sat down, she took a few sips of wine. I wondered how she felt about giving it up for almost a year. I joined her at the table and filled my plate. 

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” I asked her instead.

“Sure. I think I’d be crazy not to be nervous. But I’m also looking forward to it. Are you?” she asked, taking a bite.

“Nervous? Yes. Looking forward to it? Absolutely,” I replied.

“You know, it’s frozen. So, if you wanted to take more time to think about it… I know I kind of put this on you suddenly and I just worry that you might think this is all too fast.”

“You said it yourself. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I’m sure about the baby. I’m sure about you. I have no hesitation about this,” I assured her.

“Okay,” she said, picking up her glass. “Let’s make a baby.”

We toasted even though our glasses were nearly empty by now and everything about tonight was a perfect. After dinner, I washed the dishes and met Kelly in the bedroom when I was finished. She was nearly naked, as she usually was at bedtime, and I wondered if I could get her to stay up late tonight.

“Don’t even think about it,” she said, going to the dresser for some pajamas.

“Oh, I’ve been thinking about it the whole day,” I replied.

“We have a very busy day tomorrow. Save your energy,” she said, pulling on a shirt.

I changed, too, when I realized my efforts would be fruitless and we got into bed. There was no way I’d sleep tonight, but at least I could hold Kelly while she did. I triple checked, anyway, that my alarm was set and got into our usual sleeping position. I spent much of the night thinking about pretty much exactly what I’d been thinking about since Valentine’s Day until eventually, I did fall asleep.


	4. Friday (With Whip)

When I woke up the next morning, Kelly was already looking back at me. She smiled as soon as I opened my eyes and leaned in for a kiss, despite our morning breath. My alarm hadn’t even gone off yet and it was still dark outside so I wondered what time it was. Not that I cared much when Kelly snuggled closer to me and wrapped a leg around my waist. Due to her shifting, her shirt was pushed up to just above her belly button. 

“How are you feeling?” she asked, softly.

“My heart’s already racing,” I told her.

“I meant your head. Last night,” she clarified, brushing my hair out of my face.

“Oh. I’m fine. I didn’t really have much. Just too much to drive. What time is it?” I asked, lifting my head to peek at the clock on her bedside table.

“Early.”

“How long have you been awake?”

“Not long. I just… You know I’ve been through a lot in my life. Seen a lot. So have you. But this feeling is… I’ve never felt anything like it before. And it’s so good,” she explained.

“We deserve it,” I told her.

Even though we didn’t have to be at the office for another three hours, we got out of bed and started our morning routine. Brushing our teeth was a priority because I wanted many more morning kisses. When I’d finished, I made breakfast while Kelly was in the shower. A fresh batch of whipped cream was waiting next to a stack of waffles by the time she met me back in the kitchen. I was reaching to get the syrup out of the cabinet when I felt her arms around my waist. I turned without breaking out of the embrace.

“You smell good,” I said.

Kelly always took really hot showers and some of the warmth still radiated from her skin while I held her. She smiled at the compliment and sidestepped to the fridge, taking out the butter. I sat down next to her at the table, one hand on her thigh while I drenched my waffles in syrup. Kelly was in the process of putting whipped cream on hers. I became less interested in my breakfast at the thought of it ending up anywhere on Kelly’s body. I managed to take one bite, but the impending errand of the day made it impossible for me to eat more than that. 

“Not hungry?” she asked, noting my lack of movement.

“Not really,” I replied, pushing my plate away.

“You have to eat something,” she chastised, taking another bite.

Since she was looking down at her plate, she missed my mischievous expression, causing her to be entirely surprised when I got up. She set her silverware down for a second, a question on the tip of her tongue. I pulled her up out of her chair, and shoved both plates as far to the other end of the table as I could. Now, Kelly was seated where her plate had just been and I was standing between her legs. 

“This wasn’t what I meant,” she said, breathless already.

Despite her statement, she allowed me to pull her shirt off without resistance and her stiffening nipples inspired me. As I kissed her, I reached back behind her for the bowl of whipped cream. Dipping a finger into it, I applied a generous dollop to each one. Licking it off was just as pleasurable for both of us if Kelly’s grip on my shoulder was any indication. At an excruciating pace, I finished every remnant of the sweetness from one side, reveling in the contrast between soft cream and taut skin. 

Then, I kissed my way to the other. To add to the sensation, I touched her between her legs, feeling the dampness already coming through the single layer of her shorts. I couldn’t think of a good reason for not having done this sooner as it combined so many of my favorite things. Once the whipped cream was effectively, and thoroughly cleared, I dropped to my knees. I had her shorts off with little effort and I could see how wet she was before I even tasted her. She was gripping the edge of the table now, knuckles turning white as I continued to pleasure her. 

There was the brief thought that eating her out on the kitchen table would become a thing of the past once we were parents, but for right now… The more sounds and barely intelligible curse words she aimed at the ceiling, the more lost I became in it. Slow, long licks became rapid, concentrated flicks of the tongue. The desperation with which she pushed herself further against my mouth, made it impossible to forget about my own arousal. I shoved my right hand into my sleep pants and moaned into her when I felt how wet I was.

Matching the pace of my fingers to my tongue, I was probably just as close as she was. The new octave of her moans was on track with that theory. I slowed my fingers, not wanting to come before she did. Her entire body shuddered as most of her muscles contracted. Knowing that she’d already had enough stimulation, I rerouted my lips and tongue to her opening, from which an even more delectable cream gushed. 

My hand, slippery with my own wetness, mirrored the other now as I held onto her thighs to prevent her spasming from pulling her away from me too much. Tasting her was an obsession and I pushed the full length of my tongue deep inside her to fully indulge myself. She shivered, weakened by my continued efforts. After savoring what I could, I stood up to clean my face with a nearby napkin only a second before Kelly stood too, causing me to take a step back. She touched the the residual wetness that my fingers had left on her thigh.

“Were you touching yourself?” she asked, expression begging for an affirmation.

I nodded because my heightened state of arousal didn’t allow for the complex function of speech. She was touching me before I could even prepare for the way it felt. With hardly any effort, her fingers were inside me. Each stroke was intentional from start to finish and what turned me on nearly as much as her calculated thrusting was the fact that she knew exactly how to touch me. Her expertise remained unquestioned when I felt a particularly incapacitating brush against the exact right spot. 

At that moment, I clutched her naked body to as much of my clothed one as I could because the more of her I was touching when I came, the better it was. I focused on how it felt to hold her fingers in the tight grasp of my walls and that visualization had a flood of warmth pooling in the palm of her hand just before she pushed in a little deeper. I could barely stand when she finally pulled out of me and while we’d been having quite a bit more sex lately, the intensity of it never died down. 

That was one of my favorite parts about it. And the day was only expected to get better from here. Then, she gave me an innocent peck on the lips like she hadn’t just made me forget my name and walked, purposefully slowly, to the bedroom with her discarded clothing. I trashed the uneaten, and by now cold and soggy, waffles. Once the dishes were in the sink, I went after her.

“I just showered, you know,” she said when she saw me.

“She said at not a single point before coming in my mouth,” I countered.

Not having a counter argument, she just smirked as she finished getting dressed for the second time today. That was when my alarm went off and I silenced it, going to get ready myself. Within half an hour, we were on our way there. Kelly was driving because she was the only one that knew where the building was. We listened to the radio for half the trip until she turned it down low enough that it was barely audible.

“So, I have a confession to make,” she said.

The statement gave her my full attention. 

“I kind of left out a step,” she continued.

“What do you mean? What step?”

“Before we can buy any samples, we have to go to a counseling session to get approval.”

“Wait. We have to be tested and analyzed when anyone else can just have a baby every year?” I asked, already getting upset.

“This is a good thing, Alex. Doing it this way has its... intricacies. It’s more about understanding what having a baby this way really means than it is about whether or not we’ll be good parents. Which, for the record, I don’t think they can do better than you and I,” she replied.

“So, why not tell me about it at lunch that day?”

“Because I didn’t want you to freak out about it. You would have. You are. And I decided I’d much rather spend the week having pre-pregnancy sex than trying to unsuccessfully explain to you that it’ll all be fine,” she said.

“You made the right choice,” was all I could say.

“I know,” she replied, putting her hand on my thigh.

We pulled into the parking lot a few minutes later. Kelly shut off the car, but we sat there for a minute. There was still about ten minutes until we needed to get checked in so I tried to spend that time thinking about anything other than being counseled.

“Are you ready to do this?” she asked.

“Very,” I replied, getting out of the car.


	5. The Vial

Kelly had been right, as usual. The counseling session was more informative than it was invasive. Within a couple of hours, we were being set up with an account on the donor website and I still had trouble believing that, after all this time, I was finally going to be a parent. Doing it right alongside the love of my life was easily the best part. I couldn’t wait to get home and start going through the profiles with her. We hadn’t talked the whole ride home. I was sure she was processing, too. After all, her side of things was much more complicated than mine.

“How did you feel about the session?” she finally asked me when we got home.

“It wasn’t what I thought. I mean, I hadn’t considered the possibility that our kid would want to know their other biological parent,” I said, already hurt at the thought.

“It’s natural to want to know things like that, Alex. Even if we’re the best parents in the world, it still might be something they need,” she explained.

“I don’t know how I’d do this if my girlfriend wasn’t a therapist,” I sighed.

Kelly laughed and rubbed my shoulder reassuringly.

“Come on. I’ll pour us some wine,” she said, heading toward the kitchen.

“So, they recommend buying enough for three to six tries,” I recalled.

She pushed a full glass toward my fidgeting hand and I picked it up, about to take a sip.

“Wait,” she said, holding out her hand.

I set the glass back on the counter and looked at her curiously. She finished pouring her own glass and then came a few steps closer to me.

“To future parenthood,” she said, lifting up her glass a little higher.

“Future parenthood,” I repeated, picking mine back up and tapping it gently to hers.

We both took a sip and then she went into the bedroom, glass still in hand. I followed her with my eyes as she got the laptop from her bedside table and returned to the kitchen, this time sitting on one of the bar stools. I went around the counter to sit next to her as she turned on the computer. Pulling the information out of her pocket, Kelly navigated to the website and entered our credentials. I took a bigger sip of my wine. 

“Ready to look?” she asked.

I nodded before she clicked the appropriate link, littering the page with thumbnail sized images of potentials. Fully led by my desire to know everything I could, I convinced Kelly to get the most expensive package that included things like full medical history and photos of the donor as an adult. After about a half hour of scrolling, we moved to the couch so we could be more comfortable, refreshing our glasses before making the short journey. Kelly set the computer on my lap and sat with both legs curled behind her and her right arm across my shoulders, resting on the back of the couch.

“Oh, that one,” Kelly said, pointing at one of the photos.

I clicked on it to see more photos and information.

“He’s too tall. You want our kid to be taller than us?” I asked.

“You’re being too picky,” Kelly pointed out.

“Okay. Fine. If you want our kid to get made fun of-”

“But look how much he resembles you,” she argued, gesturing back to the screen.

“Okay, he’s a man,” I said, not sure how to feel about her statement.

“Obviously, I just meant that there are some similar features. I’m not saying that you look like a man. You most definitely look like a very, very sexy woman,” she said, lowering her voice.

“Your flattery is no good here,” I teased, clicking the back arrow.

“You really don’t think that was the best one so far?” she asked.

“We only have three more pages. Let’s just look through them, just to see them all. There might be an even better match,” I reasoned.

“Fine. I will indulge you this once,” Kelly sighed, resting her head on my shoulder.

I could almost feel the satisfaction coming off of her in waves when the final three pages yielded dismal results. Without saying a word, I clicked back to Kelly’s choice. Being the perfect girlfriend that she was, she’d resisted gloating.

“What is this section about? Something about siblings,” I read, confused.

“That’s… that’s if we want to use the same donor again in the future. To have more kids,” she explained.

“Oh. That makes sense,” I said, not sure how to ask what I was dying to ask.

“I know you probably weren’t expecting to have to think about that right now…” she began.

“I wasn’t.”

“We should talk about it,” she encouraged, moving the laptop to the coffee table.

“I couldn’t ask you to do this a second time,” I said.

“You didn’t ask me to do it the first time. I told you, I want to. And maybe once we get adjusted, we won’t want another kid but this way, we could have the option. I mean, I really don’t know how I’m going to feel after this whole experience. And adoption is still on the table as far as we’ve discussed.”

“I like options,” I replied, simply.

“I know you do,” she laughed, running her fingers through my hair soothingly.

Then, she kissed me on the cheek before she picked the laptop back up and checked the box to sign us up for a sibling supply. For an additional fee, of course. We decided on three samples, confident in success after Kelly’s bloodwork and exam results. Despite the many zeros in the total on screen, I entered my credit card information without a second thought about the purchase. It would take a few days, but it would arrive right in our mailbox. Just like that.

“I’m surprised we were able to do this so fast,” I said.

“You usually have to wait a week. I took advantage of their expedited services,” Kelly revealed.

“You’re perfect. You know that?”

She rolled her eyes, still releasing a soft laugh. The buzz from the wine was nothing compared to the buzz of completing the next step in getting Kelly pregnant.

“Maybe it’s time to look into those jogging strollers again,” Kelly said, taking over the computer.

Much of my week was spent obsessively tracking the package, even going so far as to divert DEO resources in the endeavor. I could tell how anxious Kelly was no matter how well she tried to hide it. I got the delivery notification early the following Wednesday afternoon. I rushed to the locker room to change out of my uniform and found Supergirl on the way out.

“I’m leaving you in charge today. If you have any other option before calling me, make sure you use it,” I said.

“Sure. Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Better than okay. See you tomorrow,” I replied, vaguely.

As soon as I was outside, I got on my bike, putting on my Bluetooth helmet before calling Kelly. The ringing sounded loud in my ears, nearly drowning out the sound of my acceleration. 

“Hello?” she answered, finally.

“Cancel your appointments,” I replied.

“Why? What’s wrong?” she asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

“Nothing. I just got a notification that the package arrived. I’m on my way home now,” I clarified.

“I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Kelly replied, hanging up the phone before I could even say anything else.

Barely taking the time to put down the kickstand, I rushed to the mailbox, pulling out the small package. I went inside with it, opening it up and allowing it to begin thawing. I just stood nearby, willing it to thaw faster, because Kelly’s arrival was imminent. I inspected the shrink-wrapped syringe with its far-reaching opening. If the vial on the counter wasn’t holding my potential future child, it would have felt almost like a science experiment. It kind of was. Kelly was currently ovulating and I knew she’d planned all this perfectly to be able to do this right away if I’d wanted.

I heard the beep of her car as she locked it with the remote and my excitement climbed despite being at what I thought was full capacity. Then, her key was in the door and it all felt like slow motion. I saw the shy smile on her lips as she locked the door and met me in the kitchen. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the only thing on the counter next to me. She leaned forward to get a closer look, picking it up and turning it in her hands.

“It should be thawed in about fifteen more minutes,” I said.

Still holding onto it, she went into our room. She set it down on the nightstand along with the syringe and gestured for me to come over to her. The room was quiet except for the sound of our lips connecting and reconnecting. I kept one eye on the clock, wanting to be ready, as I unzipped her skirt. When it fell, it was easy to take her shirt off and throw it far away. Without bothering to unfasten them, Kelly worked her hands into my waistband, pushing off my pants and underwear at one time.

Part of me felt there should be more of a sense of ceremony to this, but the more dominant part of me felt comforted by the normalcy of it. Everything after would be unpredictable, but the familiarity of her touch grounded me and while she got into bed, I got rid of the rest of my clothing. When I took off her bra, I felt her shiver under me as the anticipation ventured into new territory. With effort, I pressed my hips downward, knowing how much she enjoyed the insistent pressure. Reaching my hand between us, I could feel how ready she was even before taking off her underwear.

“Did you read when you’re supposed to…” she began.

The words turned to moans when I increased the firmness of my touch against her.

“Well, there was this article-”

“Please don’t cite sources right now,” she said, breathing heavily.

“I know when,” I added, simply.

Now that she was naked, I put two fingers inside her, wanting to bring her as close as possible. Her hands were on my back, rubbing up and down my spine in time with the rhythm I’d built. Not long after I’d started, she was already fighting against her orgasm. That was when I switched hands, needing the precision of my right for the task ahead while maintaining fullness inside Kelly. First, I reached for the syringe, pulling the package open with my teeth. I set it on the bed beside her as she continued writhing slowly against my fingers.

Then, I reached for the vial, making sure that the contents were entirely liquid before popping off the lid with my thumb. For just as much time as it took to fill the syringe, I pulled out of her. She seemed even closer now with the building frustration so I decided to make quick work of this part so I could get back to finishing what I’d started. Ensuring that it was as deep inside her as it could go, I forced the liquid out in one drawn out push. Kelly’s hips jerked and I wondered how it felt. 

When I was sure it was empty, I tossed it back to the nightstand. I was inside her again, trying to be careful that I didn’t cause any of it to leak out of her. The study, while Kelly didn’t want to hear about it, suggested a correlation between orgasm and sperm retention so I had scientific cause to make her come. There was also something about mid-day sex that added to the experience. Most of our neighbors were probably at work, which was good because her moans penetrated the silence around us.

Gradually, her body began tightening around me. She held me closer, heels hooking bruisingly into my thighs. With just a few more thrusts of my fingers, she was rigid and panting intermittently. It was infrequent that she reached orgasm so quickly, but I understood why it had happened. Every emotion was ramped up to a ten and that made a release like this seem like the only way to get rid of all that extra tension. She was certainly lacking it now, having eventually rested back against the bed.

The uncomfortable sensitivity between my own legs became more noticeable as I moved to grab a pillow from my side of the bed. I told her to pick up her hips so I could put it under her. Gravity was the reason. I wasn’t sure if there was any scientific backing to that particular aspect, but she acquiesced. Once she was settled, I pulled a sheet over us and rested beside her. Her eyes were closed but she had a smile on her face.

“Do you want some water?” I asked.

“Yeah. But I can get it,” she said, opening her eyes.

“Uh, no. You have to stay like that,” I said, indicating her position.

“For how long?” she asked.

“I don’t know. As long as possible,” I replied, getting up and heading to the kitchen.

“When I have to pee, I’m getting up,” she said, loud enough for me to hear.

I arrived back at the bed, giving her the bottle. She tilted her head up so that she could take a few sips, handing it back to me when she was finished. I got back under the blanket with her.

“Thank you,” she said, resting her head on the pillow again.

“What did it feel like?” I asked, knowing she’d know what I meant.

“Weird. I don’t know. I guess I didn’t think I’d be able to feel it that much,” she replied.

“I hope it worked,” I said.

“If it didn’t, we’ll try again. Try to remember what I told you about adjusting your expectations,” she said, turning her head to look at me.

“I know. You’re right. Like always,” I replied, sighing.

“But at least we got a half day off work and we can spend the rest of the day in bed,” she said.

“You’re always reminding me of what’s really important,” I said, kissing her.


	6. Late

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has two sex scenes because of who I am as a person.

A week and a half post-insemination, I saw a pharmacy bag on the kitchen counter when I got home from work. I walked over to it, peeking inside. The only thing inside was a two-pack of pregnancy tests, unopened. I wasn’t prepared for the rush of excitement it caused, receiving this additional reminder (not that I ever thought of anything else anymore) that Kelly might already have our baby growing inside of her. The thought was immediately followed by her voice in my head reminding me not to get my hopes up. I looked around for her, finally finding her on the balcony with a mug of tea. Opening the door slowly so as not to startle her, I joined her at the table, leaning over to give her a kiss. 

“How was your day?” she asked.

“It was okay. How was yours?” I asked, hoping to prompt a discussion about the important chunk of plastic I’d discovered.

“Well, based on your expression, I’m assuming you already know what I bought today,” she started.

“Yeah. I thought they weren’t accurate until after your missed period. You’re still a week away from starting,” I replied.

“I’m not going to take it yet. I guess your next-level excitement must be rubbing off on me,” she explained, laughing.

“I’m not sorry,” I said, unable to help my smile.

“Anyway, our cover has been blown,” she sighed.

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.

“Well, I happened to run into Nia while I was checking out,” she explained.

“Did she see what you were buying?” 

“Definitely. I mean, of all the stores and all the times for me to happen to see someone I know… Anyway, I swore her to secrecy. I know she won’t say anything, but she’s definitely going to have to pretend to be surprised when we tell everyone. I’m honestly pretty surprised your sister hasn’t made a billboard already, though,” she said.

“There may or may not be threats involved there,” I replied.

“Keeping this quiet is honestly a lot harder than I thought.”

“Why do you think I’ve been avoiding J’onn?” I asked, laughing.

“I don’t want to say anything before there’s anything to tell, but maybe, like, as soon as there is,” she asked, eyes pleading.

“Of course. We’ll have a big game night and make an announcement and everything,” I promised. 

The following week crawled by at an unfathomably excruciating pace and I spent a lot more time with the DEO punching bag, working out the resulting tension. After a brutally busy day and a hot shower, I finally made it home. When I opened the door, there was only one dim light on in the living room and I immediately saw Kelly on the couch, a tissue in one hand and tears wetting both cheeks.

“Babe? What’s wrong?” I asked, rushing over and kneeling in front of her.

“I got my period,” she said, frustration evident through the tears.

“It was our first try,” I said, rubbing her knee to comfort her.

“I just really wanted it to work,” she said, choking up again.

“I know. Me, too. But, the chances of it working on the first try are… dismal. You know that. You’re the one that’s been trying to prepare me for that all this time,” I reminded her.

“I guess I’m better at giving advice than listening to it myself,” she replied.

I got up from my position on the floor, instead sitting beside her so I could hold her.

“You’ve never gone through this before. You couldn’t predict what this would feel like. But, I do hate to see you in pain. Maybe this is too much. Maybe… maybe we shouldn’t-”

“Don’t. You can’t spiral right now, okay? I’m gonna need you for this. Because the more times this happens, the harder it’s going to be and you’re going to have to be the strong one. Do you understand?”

“I would do anything for you. You know that,” I replied.

“We’ll try again on the 22nd. That’s going to be our best chance,” she said.

“I’ll get the day off,” I said.

We sat there in the quiet for a while, her soft breathing calming me. Her head was on my shoulder so I didn’t have to bother hiding the crease between my eyebrows as my mind started going on its predictable loop. I knew this whole thing was going to be emotional, but the extent of it was something that really hit hard. My hand didn’t stop rubbing her shoulder the whole time we sat together and after several minutes, I could feel the heaviness of her sleep-claimed body against me. I was so relieved that I’d, at least, been able to help her feel better. 

About thirty minutes later, she stirred against me and sat up, stretching. She rubbed her face with both palms and when she pulled them away, she looked only slightly less groggy. I knew she knew I didn’t join her in this impromptu nap and I hoped she wouldn’t think I’d spent the last half hour obsessing about everything. To that end, I decided I wouldn’t even mention anything about what we’d talked about unless she did. She stood up and headed to the bathroom. I went to the kitchen to see what I could make for dinner. Pasta would be nice and easy.

I got out the biggest pot we had and while I was filling it with water, Kelly came into the kitchen. She stopped at the fridge to get a bottle of water and drank as though she hadn’t in days. I turned on the stove and got out the package of spaghetti while the water heated up. When she’d finished her water, Kelly stood behind me, holding me around the waist. I felt her chin press into my shoulder and I felt comforted by the warmth of her body.

“Have a good nap?” I asked.

“Much needed. Thanks for being my pillow,” she replied.

“Any time,” I said, turning to face her.

“And now you’re making dinner. Supergirl isn’t half the hero you are.”

“Yeah. What are thousands of civilian lives compared to my ability to boil water?” I joked.

“Exactly,” she replied. 

When dinner was ready, we sat at the table together, my hand on her leg the whole time. The more contact I had with her, the more I felt like I could make it through anything. Neither of us ate much, but something was better than nothing. While I put the dishes away, Kelly put on a movie and I joined her on the couch a few minutes later. This time, we were on the chaise, which would be much more comfortable if one or both of us fell asleep again. She was cuddled against my side while the movie played and, from her angle, I knew she wasn’t really watching it. It was confirmed ten minutes later when she straddled my lap.

Now, I wasn’t watching the movie anymore, either. She kissed me and I was more than pleased to allow the night to be taken over by a make-out session. When she rolled her hips forward in my lap, the rest of me was suddenly much more awake. I wasn’t sure exactly what to think about that because it was out of character for Kelly. It had been a very heavy day, emotionally, and I wasn’t so convinced that she was herself right now. I pulled back, breathing heavily because I was still affected despite my wandering thoughts.

“Do you not want to?” she asked, disappointment barely veiled.

“Of course, but you usually don’t-”

“I know. I’m just… feeling a lot of things right now and this is the feeling I’m choosing to focus on,” she interrupted.

The admission renewed me and I picked her up with little effort, taking her to the bed. We started out with Kelly on top of me. Since we were both still in our jeans, the pressure and friction were far more muted than we were used to as she rocked forward and back on top of me. Not that this sensation was anything to scoff at. When it got too warm, Kelly took off her shirt and I couldn’t help but be distracted by the vigorous bouncing of the savory flesh. Soon, her cheeks were sufficiently flushed with effort so I quickly wrestled her onto her back.

Knowing I needed to compensate for the thick layers of fabric, I thrusted my hips much harder than I ordinarily would. The slight roughness didn’t outdo the intimacy. Her more vocal reactions had me struggling to maintain my pace. Slow. Focused more on pressure than anything else. While that was enough to get her close, it was unlikely it would be enough to make her come so I readjusted, placing my right thigh as firmly against her as I could. I knew it was the right choice when, immediately, she began rocking against it at a more desperate speed.

“I’m close,” she said, grip around my ribcage tightening.

I kissed and licked her throat, hoping that the additional sensations would make the resulting orgasm even more pleasurable. Her breaths came by necessity only and, with one hand on her hip, I felt the muscles of her lower abdomen contract tightly. The roughness of her jeans rubbing against my hand kept me focused on just how frantically her lower half was thrusting. Several seconds passed like this before she pooled beneath me. I kissed across her chest, feeling the fluttering of her heart through it. I wanted to hear it, so I curled up against her, resting my head in the middle of her chest. The silkiness of her bra was cool on my face.

I felt her fingers in my hair and I couldn’t have been more content given everything that had happened. A few moments later, she left to take a shower, grabbing pajamas on the way. While she was gone, I noticed that the naysaying voice in my head was quiet. It must have meant I was convinced, now (finally), that we were going to be fine no matter which of my 8,493 invented scenarios played out. 

Two weeks later, it was time to try again. During that time, Kelly’s mood blossomed into one of determination. She joined me in combing through articles and we spent all of our post-sex bedtime discussing statistics and theories that could give us a greater chance of success. It was getting to the point where friends, besides Nia and my sister, accused us of being absent and avoiding everyone. Even my mother had called, basically demanding that we go for a visit. I wanted to refuse, but Kelly said that it was probably time we started leaving the apartment every now and then. I disagreed, but caved anyway.

When the second vial arrived just one day ahead of our scheduled rendezvous, I quickly put it into the freezer to maintain viability as best as I could. It was a good thing I was off on the 22nd because I didn’t sleep at all on the night of the 21st. I’d definitely need coffee for the day’s activities. Around four in the morning, Kelly joined me in wakefulness. She didn’t say anything. She just kissed me and moved closer. I loved when she initiated without a word and as I was enjoying that, I felt her hand slip into my underwear. I pushed toward her while burying the side of my face into my pillow.

Now that my neck was exposed, Kelly’s lips latched onto it, working her fingers more quickly. A few ‘fucks’ broke the morning’s silence, especially once she made it inside me. I wasn’t sure I’d ever been this close, this fast. Hearing the wet sounds with every reach of her fingers was definitely what pushed me the rest of the way. Her hand remained still as I came, but she brushed just the tips of her fingers on the perfect spot until I finally stopped pushing against her. Withdrawing felt like an unbearable loss until she put those same fingers in her mouth and that immediately brought back my arousal as though my orgasm never even happened despite the evidence she licked from her lips.

“I’ll be right back,” I breathed, standing on barely useable legs.

I rushed to the kitchen and grabbed our second try from the freezer. I was in such a hurry to get back to Kelly that I barely remembered to bring the syringe. Setting both down on the bedside table, just like last time, I climbed back on top of her. Now, though, I had half an hour to wait, but I had a good idea of what I could do with the time. I pulled off Kelly’s underwear, not wasting a second, and returned to my spot between her legs. I could feel her wetness through my pajama bottoms and focusing on it forced up my heart rate.

The warmth was noticeable, too, and each fractional movement caused her to inhale sharply. A shudder flickered across her muscles when I touched her. It was impossible to make this last a half hour because the second I entered her, with only one finger, she was already eagerly seeking fullness. One of my favorite things about this whole getting her pregnant thing was that I had an excuse to make her come more than just once. Thank you, Baxter et. al. for your tireless work in the field of female orgasms and pregnancy.

A very short minute after I entered her with a second finger, she was tensing around me. It still wasn’t even five in the morning and I wondered if her eggs were even awake yet. The flush on her skin, though, made the possibility seem more likely. It would still be about another ten minutes until the sample was even ready, but I figured I could use that time to work her up again, slowly this time. That idea nearly went right out the window when I felt how wet she still was. I decided to stick to kissing her for now, for both our sakes, and tasting myself in her mouth didn’t make this any easier.

“Slow down,” she breathed.

“I’m trying,” I said, panting.

Her shirt was still on and, instead of taking it off, I brought one hand underneath to stall a while longer. She pressed her chest forward into me, not helping in any way to calm my arousal. A few more minutes in, I checked the vial again and, at long last, it was ready. I got the syringe out of the package and the sound raised the sense of anticipation in the room as evidenced by Kelly’s firm grasp on both of my hips. I siphoned every last bit of it, getting back on top of her. The plan, this time, was to try to time the expulsion with her orgasm. The idea was prompted by, what else, an article highlighting what was blatantly referred to as the “suck up” theory.

I had quite a tentative hold on the science, though, as I worked to bring her close. The syringe rested on the bed, just a few inches below my active hand. Some preemptive spasms erupted inside her and I knew the time for ambidexterity was seconds away so I fixed my weight onto my knees and added the small tube to the tight space inside her. It was actually more helpful this way because I could feel how deep the plastic travelled. I’d gotten it in just far enough when she started pulsating firmly. With celerity, I dispensed the contents of the syringe, feeling her writhe against me. I pulled it out, and rested myself back on my left elbow, fingers still inside her, slowly aiding her come down. 

I rested my head against her chest, worn out for now. Unintentionally, I fell back asleep. She must have, too, because neither of us moved. When I woke up again, I looked at the clock and two hours had passed. Kelly was still lying on her back which just had to be good for conception. I knew better, especially after what happened last time, than to count on it, but there was no denying that this was as close to perfect circumstances as one could get. That didn’t make the wait any less torturous. 

I made it my goal to do everything in my power to keep Kelly calm, believing that less stress and anxiety would give us a better chance. It was much easier said than done, the closer we got to the usual start of her cycle. I didn’t bring it up because I thought it would be better for her if I could feign patience. I ordered dinner because I got home from work before her and when she walked in, she kissed me before taking off her jacket and sitting down at the table.

“I’m late,” she said, simply.

“No. The food just got here. It’s still hot,” I assured her.

“Alex… That’s not what I mean,” she said, amused.

“Wait. Really?” I asked, finally realizing.

“Just a few days, but I can take a test this weekend,” she replied, nodding.

Unable to contain myself, I took her face in my hands and kissed her. I felt her smile against my lips and I kissed her harder. We decided to do it on Sunday because we were both off and, hopefully, everyone would allow us our solitude for a little while longer. I’d never felt more anxious in my whole life than I did in those moments, that Sunday, sitting with Kelly on the bathroom floor waiting for the result. Her hand gripped my thigh as the timer on my phone ticked down to the final second. 

Despite how much we’d been waiting for it, the chiming sound startled us both and she fumbled with the stick when she reached up to grab it from the counter beside us. We both looked at it together and I was stunned silent when the icon indicating a positive test was plainly visible. Kelly didn’t say anything for a long couple of seconds either. I grabbed her around the shoulders and held her to me tightly, weeping with relief and joy. I felt her body shudder with sobs of her own and it was already worth all the feelings of failure and disappointment we’d endured. 

“I love you so much,” I whispered between tears.


	7. On a Mission

Every day following the positive pregnancy test, my desire to tell everyone only increased. It was way too soon, though. Kelly only recently had her first prenatal doctor’s visit. We were both relieved to know that, so far, everything was moving along as it should. It seemed impossible to have to wait nearly three months to make an announcement. Not to mention the fact that every game night, when Kelly only drank water, the risk of someone noticing increased. My sister had already been watching me like a hawk since after Valentine’s Day.

“Is it weird?” I asked Kelly one night when we were in bed.

“What?” she asked.

“Like, just going about your day, knowing there’s a human being inside of you,” I explained.

“No. It’s totally normal,” she said, seriously.

“Really?” I asked.

“Of course, it’s weird,” she replied, laughing. “But, good weird.”

She tightened her hold on me as she cuddled closer and sighed contentedly.

“So, I was doing some reading.”

“Why am I not surprised?” she asked, her head resting on my chest.

“You probably won’t be showing that much until like 20 weeks. I know you wanted to say something sooner rather than later and I’ve been barely holding myself back from ordering stationery for formal announcements, but… I just think the further along you are before we bring it up, the better,” I said, wondering if she could hear the nervous pace of my heart.

“That makes sense. I’m just worried people are going to figure it out and the announcement will be more like a formality,” she said, thumb brushing back and forth against my ribs.

“Okay. From now on, Kelly Olsen, we are on a mission of deception. Operation Baby Shield.”

“Operation Baby Shield?” she asked, her laughter shaking us both.

“A little more professionalism, Agent Olsen,” I deadpanned.

“Sorry,” she replied, biting her lip to keep from continuing.

“I’d hate to have to take disciplinary action,” I added.

“Now, why don’t I believe you, Director?” she asked.

After a few weeks, Kelly and I got really good at pretending everything was normal. On game nights, I poured each of us a glass of wine. I sipped mine while Kelly’s sat untouched. When I was nearly finished, and when nobody was looking, I’d switch our glasses. It was our most successful aspect of the operation. That is, until a very close call disrupted the mission. We were coming up on week seven when Kelly experienced her first bout of morning sickness. Only it was eleven at night. At Kara’s. During game night. 

“Is she okay?” Nia asked, when Kelly practically ran out of the room. 

“I’m gonna go check on her. She probably just had some bad sushi,” I said, hopefully convincingly.

I knocked softly on the bathroom door, noticing the retching had paused for now.

“It’s me, babe. Can I come in?” I asked, wanting to do something to help.

“Yeah,” came the weak reply.

I slipped inside and closed the door behind me, kneeling down next to Kelly who was seated on the floor in front of the toilet. I rubbed her back, trying to soothe her. With my other hand, I reached for some toilet paper and dabbed at the sweat on her forehead and cheeks. She leaned into the touch and her expression reflected relief.

“Are you okay to head to the car or do you need a few minutes?” she asked.

“I think I’m good,” she said.

I saw her lean over, about to attempt to stand. I got up quickly so that I could hold her by the forearms and help her up. She stopped on the way to the door, turning on the faucet and cupping water in her hand to rinse out her mouth. When we came out of the bathroom, we waved a quick goodbye as we headed out, not wanting to have Kelly there a second longer than she had to be. I was sure she was probably feeling more nauseated than she let on and I wanted to get her comfortable in bed.

“Do you want me to stop and get you anything?” I asked on the drive home.

“No. I’m fine now. I just hope I didn’t blow our cover,” she said, fully reclining her seat.

“I told them it was sushi,” I replied.

“Clever. But this is going to get tricky because this morning sickness isn’t going anywhere for at least another month,” she said, sighing.

“Okay. That’s four game nights.”

“Maybe five,” she added.

“We can only cancel one without Kara getting suspicious. Even then, we need a good excuse,” I said, thinking.

“Operation BS may not be successful,” she reasoned.

“You know I hate it when you call it that,” I said.

“Apt as it may be,” she retorted.

“Failure is not an option,” I said.

“Alex, it’s a likelihood,” she replied, rubbing my shoulder to soften the reality.

When we got home, we went about our bedtime routine before finally landing next to one another on the mattress. It didn’t take her long to fall asleep and the warmth of her freshly washed skin had me well on my way there, too. 

Since this was Kelly’s first pregnancy, Dr. Hudson recommended that we get an early ultrasound to rule out complications and abnormalities. So, after a long week of morning sickness and poor sleep, we were happy at the prospect of having our first photo. It was late afternoon and I’d gone straight there from the DEO, arriving to find Kelly in the waiting room.

“Hey, babe,” I said, kissing her cheek and sitting down next to her.

“I already checked in. It shouldn’t be too long,” she said, fidgeting with the magazine in her lap.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yeah. Just anxious. We might be able to hear a heartbeat,” she said, smiling tentatively.

“That would be amazing,” I said, smiling reflexively.

Ten minutes later, we were called to go into the exam room. 

“How are you two doing today?” Dr. Hudson asked when she entered the room.

“I can’t wait for the morning sickness to go away, but otherwise, I couldn’t be happier,” Kelly answered.

“If it gets too bad, I can prescribe something to help, but I suggest trying some natural methods first. Ginger is going to be your best friend for the next few weeks. Anyway, this ultrasound is going to be transvaginal, unfortunately, so…,” she said, handing Kelly a blanket.

“Fantastic,” Kelly replied, sighing.

“I’ll give you a minute to change,” she said, exiting.

I took the blanket from Kelly so that she could get her pants and underwear off. She set them on a nearby chair and the paper crinkled under her when she sat on the exam table. I unfolded the blue blanket and covered her lower half with it. I held her hand and a minute later, Dr. Hudson knocked before coming back inside.

“Okay, Kelly. Ready to get started?” she asked, going to a nearby drawer for some gloves.

“Yeah,” she replied, simply. 

“Alright. Go ahead and lie back for me,” she said, sitting on a black, rolling stool.

When Kelly was in position, Dr. Hudson adjusted the blanket as needed for proper access before picking up the wand on the tray table to her left. She coated it in a medical grade lubricant and talked Kelly through everything she was doing. Her face scrunched in slight discomfort as the plastic travelled deeper. Despite the anticipation, it took very little time for her to locate the heartbeat. Since my hand had been holding Kelly’s, I felt the involuntary jerk of her hand when she heard the thumping sound reverberating from the monitor.

Her eyes were planted, unblinking, on the small black and white screen even while tears formed. My focus was on her at first. Seeing her reaction to hearing our baby’s heartbeat for the first time was more important to me than anything else. Only after I was satisfied that I’d accurately memorized her expression did I allow myself to look at the screen and join her in awed sobs. 

“Everything looks just like I’d hope to see it. I assume you want a printout,” she said, smirking.

“Yes,” Kelly said as I nodded in agreement.

Just over half an hour after we’d arrived, we were on our way home with good news and a picture. While I drove, Kelly kept looking at the picture. She didn’t say anything. Our trips home from the doctor were usually pretty quiet as we both sat with the new information. I made a stop on our usual route home and Kelly turned to look at me as I pulled into the parking lot.

“We need something from the store?” she asked as I turned off the car.

“Yup. A frame,” I said, nodding toward the picture she still held.

“Good idea,” she said.

“I have those every now and then,” I said, kissing her and getting out of the car.

We made slow progress down the half aisle of frames, taking our time to find the right one. There were some simple black ones that were nice enough, but I wanted it to stand out. Kelly found one with a wood grain pattern that was stained a deep honey color. She held the picture over the glass, nodding her head in approval. Our detour didn’t take long, but as soon as we decided on the frame, I urged Kelly to put the photo in her pocket in case we happened to run into someone we know. In spite of everything, I was somehow still committed to Operation Baby Shield.

We made it home without incident and Kelly brought the framed picture into the bedroom, putting it on the dresser. Her pleased smile made me happy and I pulled her into a hug. Without saying anything, I slowly leaned in to kiss her. I felt her relax against my body and it was quickly getting to the point where I’d have to decide between trying to push things further or pulling back. I rarely chose the second option. I broadcast my intention by sliding my hand down her stomach and into the waistband of her jeans.

She sighed against my lips and tilted her hips toward me. I began massaging her, underwear still masking most of her wetness. When it was clear that she was interested in continuing in this direction, I took my hand out of her pants to undo them. That was when she pulled back. 

“Let me shower first,” she whispered.

“I could get in with you,” I offered.

“I’m not opposed to that idea,” she flirted.

From there, I followed her into the bathroom and helped her undress in between undressing myself. When I took off her bra, I noticed there were some pressure lines on her skin. 

“I think that bra is too tight,” I told her, kissing some of the reddened flesh.

“They’re all like that now,” she replied.

“How have I not noticed before?” I asked, thinking it was impossible considering how often I managed to get her into bed.

“It’s new. I put like three other ones on this morning, all with the same result,” she said, feeling the spray of the shower to make sure the temperature was okay before stepping inside.

“We’ll have to go get some maternity bras,” I said, getting in behind her. 

I watched for a few seconds, enjoying my view of the water trickling down her whole body. Now that I was really focused on them, they did seem a little bigger.

“Don’t look so devastated,” she said sarcastically, clearly noticing my inability to hide my enjoyment.

“Did you somehow think I’d be displeased about your breasts growing right out of your bra? I’m pretty sure I’ve had dreams about this exact thing,” I teased.

Circumventing a response, I kissed her, feeling drops of water splashing off of her. Then, she pulled away so that she could put body wash on her loofah. I took it gently from her, wanting to make this part of my foreplay. Starting with her neck, I gently scrubbed her in clockwise circles. Her hair was up in a bun to keep it out of the stream, making it easy to wash her shoulders and back. I worked slowly, keeping my free hand on her lower back to maintain the proximity. 

Eventually, I helped her rinse before pushing her back against the wall. She gasped when the heated skin of her back met the rapidly cooling droplets on the tile. The harsh spray of water against me made my skin tingle, but I ignored it and pressed two fingers just barely inside her to feel if she was ready. My touch was met with significant wetness and an anticipatory twitch. I teased entry with just one finger, causing her to push against me, trying to urge me further inside.

If we were in a more comfortable position, I would have drawn it out, ignoring her demand for more. Here, though, faster was better. I could already feel the water losing heat little by little with each passing minute. Without another second of teasing, I pushed both fingers deeply inside of her, feeling an appreciative grip in my hair. We didn’t ease into any sort of rhythm. She was already too close for that. One thing I’d definitely noticed since she’d gotten pregnant was how quickly she was able to get all the way to the edge like this.

The best thing about shower sex, not that there was any shortage of great things, was the way the acoustics enhanced her moans. I heard them from every angle and the faster my fingers worked inside of her, the more of them I got to hear. 

“Yes, Alex,” she whispered.

She released her hold on my hair only to grab at my waist, just under my ribs. The pinch of her fingernails in my skin forecasted the sudden tightness inside of her. My fingers maintained pressure against the shivering walls to make it last. There were long seconds of fluttering muscles and stunted breath before she weakly reached for the bench at the end of the shower. She took a minute to catch her breath before cleaning herself up again. 

I washed up when she got out and met her at the couch a few minutes later. She’d already put her pajamas on and was under a blanket. I sat beside her, pulling her to rest against my side. She put something on Netflix and we both enjoyed our first opportunity to relax for the day. Kelly was especially into cuddling after sex so we spent the rest of the evening on the couch, binging a few of our shows.


	8. New Recruits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Kelly tell their siblings.

“I think it’s time we recruit your sister,” Kelly said later that night when we were in bed.

“Recruit?” I asked, confused.

“For our mission. She’s going to find out anyway. She can help us keep it quiet,” she clarified.

“Why do you think she’s going to find out?” I asked.

“Please. She’s like a walking sonogram. But it’s not just about that. Those reasons we have for not telling people yet… Those are the same reasons that we should tell Kara. And I want to tell James. Look, I’m not trying to dwell on the negative, but if something does happen, we’re really going to need them,” she explained.

“Okay,” I replied, simply.

She was right. And telling Kara would be a huge weight off of my shoulders.

“After game night tomorrow?” she suggested.

“That soon?”

“You heard our baby’s heartbeat. We’re out of time,” she reasoned.

This wasn’t the first time that Kara’s powers had foiled my plans. I couldn’t even muster a pout because I was just too excited about telling her.

“Must be nice to have the luxury of planning for your talk with James,” I teased.

“Says the woman who told her sister that she was going to be an aunt the day after Valentine’s Day,” she replied, immediately.

I’d lost that one for sure.

At game night the following evening, I wondered if my rapid heart rate would be enough to distract Kara from hearing my baby’s. Possibly the only positive side effect of this incredible anxiousness. Trying to act normal was a full-time job all night long. Kelly’s hand squeezed my thigh every now and then, reminding me to breath and calm down. It seemed like forever until everyone finally left. Kara started cleaning up. As she was emptying a few glasses into the sink, Kelly stood beside me.

“I’ll be in the car, okay?” Kelly asked, reaching into my jacket pocket for the keys.

“You can stay,” I replied, quickly.

“You’re gonna be fine,” she said, amused.

“I’m not saying that because... This is our news. Not mine.”

“I know. And when we tell everyone, we’ll do it together. But you should be the one to tell your sister. Take as long as you need. Tell her I said goodnight,” she said, kissing me on the cheek and exiting.

I met Kara in the kitchen, carrying a few more of the mostly empty glasses.

“Where’s Kelly?” she asked, when she finally looked up from her task.

“She said to tell you goodnight for her. She’s waiting in the car… while you and I talk,” I began.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, fully stopping what she was doing.

“I’m fine. We’re fine,” I replied, calming her growing panic.

“Okay. So, what’s going on then?” she asked, still impatient.

I thought it would make a bigger impact if I showed her instead. I pulled out my phone amidst her fingers tapping against the counter. Within a few seconds, I had the picture I’d taken of the sonogram photo enlarged on the screen. When I passed my phone to her, hand shaking a little, she gasped. She looked from the screen, to me, and back to the screen a few times before setting my phone down on the counter and pulling me into a hug. Sometimes, when she was too excited, Kara forgot about her super strength. This was one of those times.

“Too much,” I choked before she backed off.

“Sorry. I’m sorry. I’m just so happy for you, Alex,” she said, already crying.

“It’s still really early. You have to promise not to say anything to anyone. Please.”

“I won’t,” she said, sincerely.

“And there will be no x-raying of my girlfriend,” I warned.

“Oh, come on! Just-”

“Promise,” I interrupted.

“Fine. I promise,” she pouted.

“Okay. I better get downstairs,” I said, unable to keep the smile off my face.

“Congratulations, Alex.”

“Thanks, Kara,” I replied, hugging her again.

Then, she insisted on walking me down to the car so that she could congratulate Kelly, too, but I made her promise not to hug her until she got her excitement in check. When we finally drove off, I could see Kara waving from the rearview mirror. It felt good to have someone else excited for us. I wondered if I’d be overwhelmed when our whole group knew. But I also felt the relief I suspected I would. I was never any good at keeping secrets, especially from my sister, and I was glad to finally stop feeling like I was going to explode.

It wasn’t until the following week that James could visit. That morning, I was the first one awake. I was on my way to the restroom, but was suddenly struck with a random bout of inspiration. Carefully, I returned to my bedside table and opened the drawer centimeters at a time, glancing up to be sure that Kelly remained undisturbed. Then, I completed my journey to the bathroom, one hand burdened with the weight of silicone. Once I’d cleaned and attached it, and put my pajamas back on over it, I peeked through a crack in the door to make sure my surprise wouldn’t be ruined.

As quickly and quietly as I could, I got back under the blankets with her. Almost every morning for the last couple of weeks, Kelly woke up wanting sex. It was an adjustment at first, trying to navigate pleasure while being half asleep and undercoordinated. For the last few days, though, my arousal was what woke me. It was as if my body’s anticipation yanked me out of rest, ready for part of what was becoming my absolute favorite routine. Now, I was lying on my back and I wanted to turn to the side because the sight of the blanket tenting over my erection still took some getting used to, but I didn’t want to wake her. 

The longer I had to wait for her, the more ready I was for what was to come. Twenty minutes crawled past before her first signs of wakefulness. She inhaled deeply and stretched slightly as her eyes opened halfway. I was still on my back, but my head was turned to the side so that she would immediately know that I was awake. Snuggling closer to me, she was still unaware. A second later, though, her arm unwrapped from around my waist and I could feel the throbbing between my legs, knowing what she was about to discover. She slid her hand down my stomach and I felt her stop when her fingertips brushed the strap of the harness underneath. Her eyes opened fully then, before she picked up her head to take note of the protrusion for the first time.

Immediately, she was in my lap, my firmness against her backside. As she sat atop me, I could see that, at nine weeks, there were hardly any perceptible changes to her body. Some of those changes weren’t exactly physical, like her still increasing sex drive. Well I guess, technically, it was physical. I didn’t realize I hadn’t blinked until I felt an uncomfortable dryness in my eyes. Right now, she was just teasing herself, and me for that matter, by rocking back and forth. The longer she did it, the more I could feel the damp spot on the shorts that I was, inexplicably, still wearing. 

Neither of us had even said anything yet, but I could tell that there was a roughness in her voice when she moaned for the first time. As long as I’d already waited, I could spend all day just watching her on top of me like this. When impatience got the better of me, I touched her to make sure she was wet enough. She pulled off her own underwear, then, and my thighs still tingled with the ghosts of her friction. While she did that, I pushed my shorts down, kicking them off of the bed. It was a chilly morning, so she got back on top of me, the blanket pooled at her hips. 

When she leaned forward to position me for entry, her breasts were directly in my face. I began sucking on one, but it fell from my lips with a wet pop as she sat back, taking me halfway in one go. I wasn’t prepared for the way the harness pushed against me and I wasn’t prepared to have to fight off the intensity of the arousal so soon in our adventure. This angle, with the full weight of her body, made the pressure from last time seem like nothing. With her sitting up fully like this, I had the absolute perfect view of each inch sinking into her. 

When there was none left for her to take, she started rocking like she had before. I grabbed her hips, enjoying how my fingertips pressed into the soft flesh. This position definitely had potential to become a favorite. Like this, she had much of the control. I couldn’t pull back for measured thrusts so I just absorbed the sight of her, riding me like this when it was barely light outside. It was usually quick in the mornings because of work and today was no different in that regard. This time, though, I was the one who broke first. The visual in combination with the feeling was too much and despite my effort to delay it, the overstimulation finally got the better of me.

Kelly noticed when I released several short but deep groans, letting a few curse words interrupt. She started slowing down, but I knew she hadn’t gotten there yet.

“Keep going,” I urged quickly, still mid-release.

When she hesitated, I restarted the rhythm for her with my hands on her hips again. I was just barely able to keep going, but I knew she only needed a minute now. Especially when I started pulling her down harder onto me with each thrust. Her posture buckled, then, and she brought one hand down to the mattress. The modified angle was good for several reasons. For one thing, I was relieved to have less pressure where I was still extremely sensitive. Plus, making more skin to skin contact with Kelly was absolutely always a good thing. My favorite part, though, was that I now had freer hip movement and I could participate much more effectively. I pushed through the discomfort between my legs to increase my pace. 

Her other hand met the mattress and the victory was cemented a second later when her grip on the fitted sheet tightened. I slowed down significantly to both guide her all the way through and to decrease the pounding against me. The feeling of her dripping down between my own legs made me want to start up again. The urge remained when she rested her head on my collar bone, still full of me. 

“Good morning,” I said, stroking her back.

She laughed, causing a pleasant shift inside her. After taking a few moments to recover, she released a low moan while pulling me out of herself. Not long after that, our alarm went off and I considered just unplugging it because we were always up before it these days anyway. It was just an unpleasant reminder that it was time to leave this warmth and intimacy behind until the evening. Sighing, we both set about getting ready for work. 

When I got home that night, I wasn’t surprised to find that I’d arrived first. Kelly was probably still out to dinner with James so I showered and changed in the meantime and when I came out of the bedroom, I saw Kelly in the kitchen getting a glass of water. 

“Hey, babe,” I said, coming to stand behind her. 

I pushed her hips into the counter with mine and kissed her cheek.

“Alex,” she said, lightly protesting.

I moved to her neck, holding her hair out of the way. Just as she started to pull away, James came out of the guest bathroom. I instantly put two feet between me and his sister. 

“James. Hi,” I said, trying my best at nonchalance.

“I guess Kelly didn’t tell you I was here,” he teased as I rounded the counter to hug him.

“I was about to,” she defended with a flush on her cheeks.

“So, I heard the good news,” he said to me. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you. We’re going to have a get-together so we can tell everyone else in a few weeks. Think you can make it?” I asked.

“Wouldn’t miss it. Anyway, I promised your sister I’d have drinks with her so I’ll see you guys tomorrow before I head back,” he said.

“Okay. Well, be safe,” Kelly said, going to give him a hug.

“I will. Night guys. Congratulations again,” he said on his way out.

“Seems like your talk went well,” I said to Kelly when he was gone.

“That’s an understatement. He may have mentioned moving back to National City once or twice. I just tried not to be offended that he’d move back for his niece or nephew, but not for his sister,” she replied.

“You know he’d do it if you asked,” I confirmed.

“I know,” she replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is my life source.


	9. Dinner Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a while. I plan to update more frequently now that I am self quarantining. Also, keep an eye out for a short smut fic by me sometime this week.

A month passed and I spent much of it fielding Kara’s never-ending onslaught of baby shower questions. I was responding to one such text while Kelly and I were huddled close on the chaise on Sunday watching a movie.

“So much for Kara helping keep the secret. She’s printing banners as we speak,” I sighed, setting my phone down.

“She’s just excited,” Kelly replied, amused.

“I know. She’s just incapable of being subtle,” I replied.

“Well, she won’t have to be for much longer. It’s about that time,” she said, adjusting to a more comfortable position.

“Dinner party?” I asked.

“That depends. Are you the chef?” she asked, straight-faced.

“Wow,” I replied, drawing out the word to highlight my offense.

“Hey, I know we’re in that sinking boat together,” she replied, laughing while she nudged me.

“We’ll hire a chef. And after dessert, we can tell them,” I said. 

“Sounds perfect.”

As simple as it all sounded, making these plans made me realize how quickly everything was moving. Also, it made me feel like I was sorely lacking readiness for all of the things about parenthood that were about to challenge me. My fears about not being a good enough mother began to resurface, but disappeared momentarily when Kelly’s hand moved to rest just at the edge of my waistband. My heart pounded, now from arousal more than anxiety, when she started to be clearer about what was happening. 

When the mischievous appendage was fully inside my shorts, I felt a single fingertip stroking almost too gently. I let out a strained moan as I tried to enforce a more gradual buildup. She was out of luck, though, because her being pregnant had made me much more service oriented than usual. In her position, it was easy for her to throw one leg across me and she straddled me, leaving plenty of space for her to continue her movements with the new angle. As helpless as I often was to her dominant side, I fought my pleasure enough to get her where I needed her for what was now becoming my only thought. 

Her legs were stretched out on the chaise, body slightly reclined, making it efficient for me to pull off her underwear. There was plenty of space for me to lie on my stomach, face hovering between her legs. When we’d moved in together, I insisted on keeping my couch because of all the memories made on it. Including many just like this. The very tip of my tongue grazed her lips just to get a sense of what she needed. She sighed and it was accompanied by a quiet moan. 

Since we had the rest of the evening to ourselves, the sense of urgency that was often evident in her vocalization was noticeably absent. That meant I could go slow today, working her into a writhing mess. With each deliberate upward swipe of my tongue, I delighted in her struggle to dampen the reaction. One of her knees moved to rest against the arm of the chaise, opening her wider for me. I was pretty smug about the fact that she was already failing to suppress her enjoyment and worked to not let myself get carried away because of it. When I glanced up to gauge her current status, her head pressed into the back of the couch and her eyes were squeezed shut. 

The shallow breaths were further evidence of her struggle and when one of her hands came down to hold my hair away from my face, I felt the excessive dampness in my own underwear beginning to soak through. Her taste and scent only made the situation more dire and my own hips began moving against the cushion at the same speed as hers against my mouth. When she lifted up high enough, my tongue searched deep inside of her. Her walls flinched at the unexpected force of the entry, creating an indescribable sensation around my probing muscle.

She’d given up the very last of her control as her hand joined the other on my head. Feeling how much she wanted it redoubled my enthusiasm. I grabbed onto her waist with one hand and squeezed, feeling her body harden under the touch. I worked to hold my tongue in place against the restrictive contracting, keeping her going. Her fingers curled in my hair, raising goosebumps from my scalp down. When I finally pulled away from her pulsing warmth, the wetness began immediately cooling on my face. I got up, noting the intense wetness and sensitivity between my own legs. I sat down next to her, resting a hand on her thigh.

“Well, that didn’t go how I planned,” she said, a lazy grin on her face.

“What do you mean?” I asked, wiping the rest of her from my chin.

“I was trying to get into your pants and you’re the one still wearing all your clothes,” she replied.

“Couldn’t help myself,” I said.

“I’m not complaining,” she said.

When we finally went to bed that night, we decided on details. Italian for dinner. Next Friday night at eight. Since I couldn’t sleep, I read Google reviews of some local personal chefs. It didn’t take too long to find some promising options. When I finally felt confident that I could pull this off, I settled on my side behind Kelly and held her against me, letting her slow breathing calm me down.

James got into town on Friday morning and stayed at the apartment to spend time with Kelly while I was at work. He was in the process of helping us set the table when everyone started arriving one at a time, starting with Kara. The meal had already been prepared and it was keeping warm in the oven while we waited for everyone to arrive. Once they were all there, I was a little nervous. I wasn’t even sure why. I knew they’d all be happy for us. As I passed the salad bowl around the table, I took a moment to appreciate the fact that I was finally living in one of the moments I’d waited a very long time for.

Then, I got up to remove the lasagna from the oven, setting it on a cork pad on the table. I served each person a large, cheesy square of it before sitting back down. Under the table, I held Kelly’s hand. The feeling of her soft skin under my fingertips soothed me enough for the knot in my stomach to loosen. The sound of silverware on plates drew me back into what was happening around me. I took my first bite and couldn’t remember if I’d ever had homemade food on this level. I heard Kelly beside me, talking to James about his new girlfriend that he met while pursuing a story. Her voice was soft and her questions were thoughtful and I wondered how she was so efficient at pretending she didn’t have this huge secret that was just minutes from being revealed.

“There is dessert, right?” Kara asked, leaning in.

“Of course,” I replied.

I sipped my water, giving everyone a few minutes to finish up. Kara helped me gather up the dirty dishes and bring them to the kitchen. I got the cheesecake from the fridge and when I set it on the counter, Kara reached in the drawer and handed me a knife.

“Thanks,” I said.

“And don’t forget-”

“You want an extra big piece. I know. Can you take clean forks to the dining room?”

She gathered up the handful of silverware and practically skipped back to the table, passing one out to each person. I was plating the second slice when Kelly came to stand next to me.

“Babe, I can do this. You can go sit if you want,” I said.

“I wanted to see how you are,” she said, rubbing a hand up and down my back.

“I’m good,” I said, attempting reassurance.

“You’re not freaking out just a little?” she asked.

“I am. But, I’m good,” I repeated, handing her two plates to pass out.

When she came back for two more, she gave me a quick peck on the lips. By the time I arrived at the table with the final two plates, mine and Kelly’s, Kara was halfway through her slice. At this point, I wasn’t really sure if she was just especially excited about eating today or if she was trying to hurry things along to the big announcement. There was no reason both couldn’t be true. Most of the plates were pushed aside just a few moments later and before the conversation started up again, I got everyone’s attention by standing up. Kelly stood up next to me, her hand on my back.

“So, Kelly and I are really glad you guys could make it. Everyone in this room is family. And soon, that family is going to be a little bigger,” I started, looking over to Kelly.

“I’m pregnant,” she added, pulling me closer to her side.

We were immediately enveloped in hugs and asked a million questions at once, most of which I didn’t have an answer for yet. It was exciting and exhausting since I wasn’t used to being the center of so much attention. And Kelly was enduring more of it, being the one with the actual baby inside of her. It was another hour before the last person was out the door. I leaned back against it, taking a deep breath and absorbing the beauty of a silent moment. After locking the door, I met Kelly in the bedroom. She was already changing into her pajamas.

“Well, that was a lot,” I said, rubbing her shoulders when I reached her.

“Maybe they’ll calm down once the baby is finally born,” Kelly said.

I gave her a look.

“I know. It sounded wrong as I was saying it,” she added.

“Well, I hope they didn’t tire you out too much,” I said, attempting a smooth segue. 

“It’s late,” she replied while I removed my shirt.

“You don’t want to?” I asked, kissing her neck.

Her body sank into mine a little and I thought I was causing her to consider it, but when I put my hands on her waist, she pulled back, hands on my wrists.

“Okay. You don’t want to,” I replied, giving her some space but still facing her.

“It isn’t that. It’s just… You do want to?” she asked, hesitantly.

“Uh, of course I do. Why would you ask me that?”

“I don’t know. I guess I just thought since I’m starting to show-”

“I’m gonna stop you right there. There hasn’t been a day I’ve known you that I haven’t been attracted to you and nothing is going to change that. Least of all, you growing our baby inside you. You’re gorgeous, Kelly, and I don’t want you to ever think otherwise.”

“Are you sure you’re not just trying to get into my pants?” she asked, playfully.

“But it’s also the truth,” I responded.

She shook her head while pulling me with her to the bed. I was on my side, leaning down to kiss her while she was lying on her back. I was still wearing my jeans which severely restricted how much of her warmth I could feel. I used my hand instead, reaching into her shorts and finding an absence of underwear. It was late, like she’d said, so I spared her my usual delays. There was more than enough wetness to accommodate two fingers. I could still read some tension in her body, but she was quickly beginning to relax. From this angle, it was easy to rub my palm against her after each inward thrust.

“God, Kelly, you feel so good,” I said as I felt more active pulls from within her.

She turned on her side to face me. It was a more comfortable position for my wrist, especially with her leg over my hip. I lost the rhythm a few times because I got distracted kissing her, but her hips reminded me impatiently. Her moans vibrated my lips and the intervals between them steadily decreased as she let herself give in completely. She pulled out of the kiss and pressed her forehead into my shoulder. Her hot breath against my chest halted just as I felt her tight around me. The leg that was clutching my hip pulled me closer to her and I slowed my fingers, still going deep each time. When she released me, I barely let her catch her breath before kissing her again.

“Ready for bed?” I asked a minute later.

“Definitely,” she said, eyelids already drooping. 

I pulled away from her warmth only long enough to finish changing into my pajamas before joining her back in bed.


	10. Painting the Nursery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was almost a full fluff chapter but 🤷🏼♀️. Please leave feedback!!! It keeps me sane.

With 20 weeks behind us, things were sort of starting to feel normal again. We’d basically returned to our pre-pregnancy routines, sprinkled with a few doctor’s appointments and birthing classes. When I got home from work, I heard music coming from the spare bedroom. I followed the sound to find Kelly, paint roller in hand, dancing along. I bit my lip to stifle the giggle that almost sneaked out at the sight and I just leaned against the door, watching. When she turned around to dip the roller in fresh paint, she gasped, stepping back. She set the roller down, rushing over to the speaker to turn the volume down.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” I said, stepping into the room.

“Which is why you said something to let me know you were there,” she countered, quirking an eyebrow.

“You’re insane if you think I was going to stop that,” I replied, giving her a peck on the lips.

“Wanna help?” she asked.

I noticed, for the first time, all of the paint splattered across her shirt.

“Of course. Let me just change,” I said.

She grabbed my wrist tightly before I could move and I was about to ask what was wrong, but she pressed my hand, palm flat, to her stomach. 

“Can you feel it?” she asked, eyes on my reaction.

“Yeah. That’s… That’s incredible,” I said, unmoving. 

Each subtle flutter against my hand made everything else seem unimportant. It was one of those rare moments that I knew with absolute certainty, that this was right for me. For us. 

“This is the third time it’s happened this week. You were at work for the other two. He or she must be as happy to see you as I am,” she said, pulling me into a loose embrace.

“Aren’t you curious?” I asked.

“Of course, I am. But this way no one expects us to have a gender reveal party. Besides, it’ll be fun to be surprised,” she replied.

Then, she stepped back, leaning back with her hand on her hip.

“Are you okay?”

“Just a little back pain. Dr. Hudson said it was normal. I mean, I’ve gained eight pounds.”

“Which is also normal,” I reminded her.

“I know. It’s just weird. I feel like a water balloon,” she said.

“Well, you don’t look like a water balloon. You look like… dinner,” I said, backing her up.

She gasped when her backside touched the wall. She pushed me back, playfully, and turned to look at her paint covered pants.

“Hello? Wet paint,” she said, gesturing to the walls around her.

“Oh. I figured you didn’t mind because you already got paint all over yourself,” I teased.

She opened her mouth, scoffing at my criticism. As soon as I saw her grab a paint brush from a nearby bucket, I knew I’d made a mistake. She walked right up to me and I took a step back, hands up defensively.

“Come on, babe. I really like this shirt,” I said, stepping back again.

The other wet wall was behind me now so I was in a precarious situation.

“Hm. Guess you should have thought about that before you decided to make fun of me,” she said, stepping closer.

“But you… Okay, you are the forgiving one, Kelly. Don’t be like me. Don’t stoop to my level,” I replied, attempting to deescalate.

“Fine,” she said, relaxing her stance. 

The brush was at her side and I sighed and put my hands down. She leaned forward and kissed me softly. I was getting really into the kiss when I felt the cool, wet sensation of paint against my chest. I pulled back, looking down to see the brush between us. I was stunned and, without blinking, she dragged the brush down to my belly button, leaving an opaque stripe.

“I’ll buy you a new shirt. It’s worth it to see the look on your face,” she said, pecking me on the cheek and going back to painting.

It was cute how she thought it was over, even though it wasn’t by a long shot. I stepped behind her, pushing her against the wall with my body. I felt the stickiness of the paint transferring from my shirt to the back of hers. Her bare forearms braced her against the wet wall, but she still got some paint on her stomach as it pressed lightly into the drywall. It was meant to be a playful wrestling match, but the way she groaned when I held her in place with my hands on her wrists quickly had me thinking other thoughts.

“I’ll let you go if you promise to put the paint away,” I said next to her ear.

“But, I’m not done,” she replied.

“Why don’t you take a break?” I asked, kissing the side of her face a few times.

“You really think you’re going to get me into bed after all that?” she asked, amused.

She easily broke free from my hold and kept working. 

“Why don’t you let me finish this? I can run you a bubble bath and order dinner,” I offered.

“Nice try,” Kelly replied.

“Hey, I’m serious. Rest your back,” I said, taking the roller gently from her hand.

“Okay,” she agreed.

I went into the guest bathroom, because it was closer to where I’d be working, and filled the tub. I added plenty of bubbles and checked the temperature while Kelly undressed beside me. When she was naked, I ran a washcloth under some hot water and rubbed some soap into it so I could wipe the paint off of her before getting in the tub. I lightly scrubbed her forearms and searched her for any other splotches. Now that she was clean, I held her hand so she could step into the bath and lower herself carefully to a seated position. Once she’d settled in the water, I put the lid down on the toilet and sat facing her.

“Something I can help you with?” she asked, eyes closed.

“Dinner. What do you want me to order?” I said, still tracing my eyes up and down whatever flesh breached the surface of the water.

“Whatever you want,” she replied.

“Oh, no, no, no. I’m not falling for that again,” I said, following the path of a droplet racing down her chest.

“Excuse me. What are you saying?” she asked, sitting up a little.

“Last time you said that, I got you chicken alfredo and you said it was the most disgusting thing you’ve ever seen in your life even though you’ve literally eaten that same meal at least thirty times since I’ve known you,” I reminded her.

“Okay, I really thought people were exaggerating about food aversions during pregnancy, but now I know,” she said, shaking her head at the memory.

“So, then you want…” I urged.

“Pizza. The one with like ten things on it,” she answered confidently.

“Got it. I’ll let you relax. I’ll be right next door if you need me,” I replied, placing the order on my phone.

Kelly had already done most of the room so I just had to put the final coat on one wall… plus the part with Kelly prints where the layer of paint had lifted off. Not that I really wanted to paint over that. I finished twenty minutes later and started putting the leftover paint back in the bucket, sealing it up and taking the brush and roller to the utility sink in the laundry room to clean them. While they soaked in hot water and soap, I washed my hands, too. Then, I went to check on Kelly. When I peeked inside, though, she wasn’t in the tub anymore. I opened the door to the bedroom and found her toweling off by the bed.

“You okay? That was a short bath,” I said.

“Yeah. My back was feeling better already so I thought I would just put on some comfy pajamas and relax,” she said, pulling on a large tee shirt.

“I could help you relax,” I said, coming up behind her and holding both breasts in my hands.

“Of all my pregnancy symptoms, this is the one you experience sympathetically,” she said, seconds from giving in.

“Oh, no. This is all me, babe,” I replied, in awe of all the subtle ways her body submitted to me.

“I’m supposed to be punishing you for being mean to me,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

“But if you don’t let me fuck you, aren’t you only punishing yourself?” I asked in her ear.

She released a pleasure provoked sigh and I knew now was the time to make my move. My right hand went between her legs, teasing her as gently as I was capable of and her breath was more of a shudder now. Then, she got onto the bed and pulled me on top of her. I took off my shirt since it still had paint on it and settled my palms on the bed next to each of her shoulders. With her breasts being so much larger than before, and her uterus expanding at much the same rate, this position was becoming difficult. After a quick brainstorming session with myself, I figured we’d both be most comfortable on our sides.

“Can I try something?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she said, nodding.

“Here, lie on your side,” I said, getting up and handing her the body pillow we’d gotten to help with her hip discomfort.

She hugged it, knees bent a bit, just like when we were sleeping. I went to my side of the bed and got into the strap-on quickly once I finally got my pants and underwear off because she’d been growing increasingly impatient when she was ready to go like this. I used very little lubricant for the shaft because, these days, she really didn’t need it. I got in place behind her like we were spooning and, with the pillow between her legs, I had just enough space to make this work. Holding the tip in my hand, I used it to massage her opening, pushing it a bit further in every few seconds. It was an interesting angle and I found it somewhat difficult to go as deep, but Kelly seemed unbothered as she rocked back toward me. The doorbell rang then.

“Shit,” I said, feeling stupid for completely forgetting about the pizza. 

I got up, throwing on a pair of sweats and a large tee shirt to cover up the erect hunk of rubber that was currently trapped in my waistband. I rushed to the door, leaning around it to hide as much of me as possible. I signed the receipt and disappeared back inside, throwing the pizza on the kitchen counter before returning to the bedroom. Kelly was still in the same position, only she had been rubbing herself, probably since the door shut behind me a minute ago. I was back inside her as soon as I could be and I held onto her hip, gripping tighter the more times I thrust into her, feeling the bottom of her shirt brush against my thumb. 

When I realized how hard I was grabbing her, I moved my hand to where hers had just been. My fingers were moving much faster than the silicone inside her. I knew that as much as she enjoyed being filled, the dual sensation would only improve her experience. She was much less still now as her entire body participated in the back and forth. The pace slowed a minute later and I slipped out of her with the internal pressure. To make up for the absence, I kept the pace with my hand. Her head turned to the side, burying half her face in her pillow and I felt her shiver when my touch became too much. I slowed my fingers to a stop and stroked her softly where the toy had just been so I could feel the warmth spilling from her. I moved back when I felt her trying to lie on her back again. I kissed her, enjoying the relaxed pace of it. I took off the harness, feeling good about how much of her glistened on it. After taking a few minutes to calm down, we could refill on carbs and enjoy a few more rounds of this.


	11. Two Months Left

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos and/or feedback if you enjoyed the new chapter. Thank you for reading!

“Everyone is getting pretty anxious to meet you, you know. Especially, your mother. She’s tired of having to go to the bathroom every five minutes.”

“And on that note,” Kelly said, getting up slowly from the couch.

We’d both been talking to the baby as often as possible, hoping the familiarity and routine would be soothing. When Kelly got back from the bathroom, she reclined on the chaise, sighing. 

“Why does the head have to be directly on my bladder?” she asked, pulling a blanket over herself.

“Two more months.”

“I know you’re saying that to be comforting, but it feels like a year away,” she replied.

“Can I do anything for you?” I asked, moving closer to her and rubbing her shoulder.

“Mm. You can keep doing that,” she said, moving her head to the side so my fingers could work.

“Here, let me get behind you,” I replied.

She scooted forward enough for me to sit behind her. 

“Do you want me to take off my shirt?” she asked.

“When have I ever answered ‘no’ to that?” I teased.

I lifted her shirt from both sides, tossing it to the seat next to me. Then, my hands were on her shoulders, kneading into the tight muscle. She groaned, feeling the simultaneous pain and relief as I worked my fingers deeper into the tissue. I had to physically shake my head to clear away the association my mind had automatically made to the sound. I was doing this to help her and it wouldn’t do me any good to get distracted. I moved my hands downward, pressing my thumbs into the tender tissue on either side of her spine, all the way to the tailbone. I began my trail back up when my phone rang. Annoyed at the interruption, I reached across the couch to grab it.

“There’s a new alien threat that I need to brief you on. How soon can you get here?” Brainy asked.

“Give me twenty minutes,” I said, hanging up the phone.

“You’re going?” Kelly asked. 

“I’m sorry,” I said, picking up her shirt and helping her back into it. “Hopefully, I won’t be gone long. Do you want me to get you anything on my way back?” 

“I’ll text you if I think of something,” Kelly replied.

“Call me if you need me, okay?” I asked, kissing her on the cheek.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you, too,” I answered, rushing out.

The DEO was buzzing with energy, agents moving about with purpose. I increased my walking pace, coming to stand next to Brainy in the control center.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

He stepped away from the computer, leading me to a conference room. 

“We were tipped off about a certain group involved in planning a complex and far-reaching takeover. Unfortunately, we’re coming into things when the plan is already in progress.”

“How far in progress?” I asked.

“Implementation stages,” he revealed.

“What? How could we not catch something this big way before now?”

“It’s extremely organized. And they’re not killing unless absolutely necessary, minimizing their chances of being discovered.”

“Are they just… building an army? I mean, it shouldn’t even be possible for them to reproduce this much based on the number that we have registered in the database. Their gestation period is a full year. So, why and how are they gaining numbers so quickly?” I asked, confused by the data on the screen in front of me.

“That’s what we still don’t know and that piece of information is the key to stopping them.”

“We need to find out. Get agent Matthews to go in undercover and join them. He’s a shapeshifter. Make sure that he’s properly briefed. Right now, since they outnumber us two to one, this is just a recon mission. We need to find out everything we can about what they’re planning.” 

“On it,” he replied, leaving me alone in the room.

I went over the data again, trying to come up with a reason for the anomaly, but there were no clues. As threatening as the implication was, we couldn’t do anything but wait. 

*I’m coming home,* I texted Kelly about two hours after I’d left her.

*Can you bring me a double cheeseburger and some fries?*

*Of course.*

*And a milkshake?*

*Strawberry?*

*Mm. Yes.*

*Be home soon,* I replied, on my way to my car.

My bike spent more time in the garage these days and Kelly and I recently bought an SUV. I insisted on black with dark tint, explaining that it was safer to not have a vehicle that stands out. From the second we decided to get pregnant, I’d been extra cautious and I had to constantly ask myself if certain things were excessive. But it was the one thing about all of this that I could control. Better locks on all the doors and windows, a camera system we could view from our phones, gun in a safe in my bedside table. I figured it was my version of nesting and now it made sense to me why she spent so much time in the nursery, making everything just right.

“Mm. Thank you, babe,” Kelly said, pecking my on the lips and taking the bag out of my hands.

I set the drink carrier down on the kitchen table. Kelly was already in a chair, unwrapping her burger. 

“Everything okay at the DEO?” she asked, dumping her fries onto the open wrapper.

“Yeah. It’s kind a big deal, but nothing we can do for right now. We’ll figure it out,” I said.

“This shake is so good,” she said, using it to wash down a large bite of meat, bread, and cheese.

“So, are you ready for the baby shower tomorrow night?” I asked.

“I will be. I’ve just been so exhausted lately. I hope I have some energy,” she replied, taking another bite and a few more fries.

“Well, don’t worry. We can nap before,” I said.

She looked at me skeptically while she finished chewing.

“ _I_ can nap. Whenever _we_ nap, you always just end up trying to get into my pants.”

“And after that, you’re out for three hours. So, really, you’re just confirming that it’s better to nap together,” I replied.

“I think you missed out on a promising career as a spin doctor,” she teased.

“I figured medical doctor was better,” I shrugged.

“Speaking of which, why did you go to work for the DEO when you’d probably make just as much at any hospital?”

“I needed something more. I couldn’t explain it, but the DEO fulfilled it. And I still get to be a doctor sometimes. Hopefully you never need stitches, but if you do, I’ve been told I have impeccable stitch work,” I bragged.

“Handy,” she said, about halfway through her food now.

“So, can I eat you out when you’re finished with that?” I asked, deadpan.

She put her burger down and wiped her mouth with a napkin, swallowing.

“Well, that’s forward,” she said.

“Sorry. You just look so fucking sexy,” I replied, noticing how thin her tank top was.

“I’m wearing pajamas,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“Barely,” I said, looking down at her very short shorts.

“Well, it’s like ninety in here,” she replied.

“First of all, it’s sixty-five and I’m freezing. Second of all, if you’re so hot, you shouldn’t have any objection to getting naked and lying under the full-speed ceiling fan in the bedroom.”

“And when did I say I had an objection?” she asked.

She popped another fry into her mouth and got up, heading for the bedroom. It almost felt like a trick because she usually made me work harder to get her into bed whenever I showed my cards like this. When I followed her into the room, though, she was already slipping off her shorts and underwear. I pulled off her shirt and quickly got rid of her bra when she sat on the bed. She was about to move further onto the bed, but I held her by the backs of her knees and kneeled between her legs. Since she was still sitting up, I kissed her, working my way down from her lips, to her chest, to several random parts of her stomach, to the tops of her thighs. When I spread her legs further to kiss her inner thighs, she rested on her back.

I started slow, flattening my tongue against her slickness. I wasn’t giving her enough pressure, at this point, to get her closer. I was just building her anticipation. When she started moaning softly, I decided it was time to get into a better position for us both. I climbed onto the bed, repositioning her legs on either side of my hips as I leaned across to get the two pillows from my side of the bed.

“Pick up your hips, babe,” I said, guiding the pillows under her as soon as she did.

When my face was back between her legs, I entered her with my tongue, moving it inside her to instigate more lubrication. I wrapped an arm around each thigh, holding her close to me. A few whispered curse words encouraged me and I still held back because I was enjoying myself far too much to let her come now. She got more insistent the longer I teased her, pushing her palms against the headboard to get closer to my elusive tongue. With just a little more strength behind each upward swipe, she groaned loudly, finally getting the contact she needed. When she trusted that I wouldn’t move away again, she started pushing her hips back and forth, guiding my tongue.

Her pace was slow, feeling the entire path of my tongue each time. I felt that she was doing too much work when I was supposed to be the one pleasuring her, so I held her hips down continuing to suck and lick in every place that made her tremble under my grip. My hips matched the increasing tempo of her moans and, with my legs spread and bent at the knees, I moaned, too. Her thighs started closing in, muffling all of the sounds that were fueling my own impending orgasm. I kept trying to tell myself to be still, but the anticipation of having her so close to coming in my mouth finished me off. I pressed harder into the bed, struggling to keep up with what I was doing to Kelly. My whole body was shaking while I came and I clung tighter to her thighs. I moaned a lot louder as I continued to ride though it and I knew that Kelly could feel every vibration. 

When I recovered, I was able to refocus my effort. My body was much more relaxed now. Hers was still straining, struggling to make it over the edge. I tipped her over it as soon as I started moving my tongue faster. She had my head locked between her thighs and her body tensed. Since her hips were off the bed, now, I moved the pillows so she’d be flat on her back when the spasms slowed. I got on my side next to her, leaving some space between us because I knew if she was overheated before, it was definitely worse now. I saw her look down between my legs before she ran her fingertips over the damp spot on my shorts. I shivered, grunting at the firm touch against such sensitivity. I pulled her hand away reflexively.

“Oh, by the way, I got you something,” I said, rolling over to open the drawer of my nightstand.

“Alex, I can’t… I’m still-”

“What? No. Not that,” I replied, laughing and handing her an envelope. 

“What’s this?” she asked, peeling back the flap and pulling out the plastic gift card.

“I’m gonna be gone most of the day tomorrow. I’m helping Kara get everything set up. So, I thought in the meantime you could, you know, get pampered. I know I don’t tell you enough, Kelly, but you’re amazing and getting to start a family with you is the greatest thing in my life. I know it’s been a lot with all the soreness and discomfort and the hormones and I’m sure you’re probably glad it’s almost over, but this is just all of my dreams come true.”

“Mine, too,” she replied, kissing me for several seconds. “Thank you.”

“Enjoy yourself,” I said.

The next morning, I met Kara at our favorite breakfast place. We needed to carb load in preparation for all the work we had ahead of us. My sister, as usual, didn’t pause much for conversation between massive mouthfuls. An hour later, full of pancakes and coffee, we started our errands. We had to stop for the cake, get some things from the grocery store, and pick up the baby Bingo cards that she sent off to get printed. After all that, we still had to set all of this up.

“I was going to do it at my place, but here, they clean up after. You just party and leave,” she said, opening her trunk.

We carried the bags and boxes of decorations, food, and other supplies into the building. When we got to the room Kara reserved, there were already tables and chairs. I set down the last box and started unfolding the plastic tablecloths Kara chose. The place also had a small sink and prep counter at the back of the room with a small fridge plugged in next to it. We got all the food and drinks into it before getting into the decoration portion of the morning.

“So, are you freaking out less because you’ve had more time to get used to the idea or are you freaking out more because the baby’s going to be here soon?” she asked, taping up streamers.

“Somehow, both,” I replied, sighing. “But I’m really looking forward to the party. Thank you so much for taking care of it. I know you put a lot of work into this.”

“I mean, if we’re honest, it’s basically been planned since you guys got together.”

“Yeah, sure,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“What, you think I can’t see how you look at her? I mean, I thought I’d be planning your wedding first, but I’m not complaining.”

“It does feel a little backwards,” I said, considering it.

“I guess it makes sense for you, though. You’ve always wanted to be a mother above everything else. Besides, you can always have another baby after you get married,” she replied, moving the step ladder to the other side of the cake table.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I said, genuinely terrified of the idea of a second one when I was still plenty anxious about getting it right the first time.

“I can move into your house and help,” she suggested.

“Um, thank you but no thank you,” I said right after, setting out supplies for the games.

“Why not?” she scoffed. “You have an empty guest bedroom right next to the nursery.”

“My sex life is going to take enough of a hit when I’m struggling to get a normal amount of sleep. I’m not about to have my sister in a room down the hall,” I explained.

“That’s fair,” Kara laughed.

It took about an hour to finish everything and, at the end of it, Kara and I were collapsed in two of the plastic chairs, facing each other.

“Do you think Kelly will like it?” Kara asked, looking around at our handiwork.

“She’s gonna love it,” I nodded. “I need to go shower. I’ll be back with Kelly by four.”

When I got back to the house, Kelly was in the kitchen, scooping ice cream into a bowl and licking the excess from the scoop before putting it in the sink.

“Hey. How was the spa?” I asked, kissing her and feeling the cold bite of rocky road on her tongue.

“I didn’t realize how much I needed it,” she said, voice low and calm.

“Did you get to nap?” 

“For a little while. I feel good, though,” she said, digging her spoon into her bowl.

“Good,” I replied, rubbing her back. “I’m gonna shower. Want to join me?”

“I just got out,” she replied.

“So?” I shrugged, patting her on the backside.

“Go. Shower,” she replied, swatting my hand away.

“Fine. But give me a bite of your ice cream, first,” I said, opening my mouth and leaning closer.

She gathered a spoonful and slowly brought it up and toward my lips. At the last second, though, she popped it into her own mouth, licking the spoon clean.

“Really?” 

“Here,” she said, giggling and holding another spoonful out to my lips.

“Mm. Thank you,” I said, leaving to get ready.

A few minutes into my shower, the steam dissipated as Kelly came into the bathroom.

“Change your mind?” I asked, facing her through the glass door.

“Okay, you can give it a rest. This pregnancy is well beyond the point where shower sex will be comfortable for either of us,” she replied, brushing her hair back into a low ponytail.

“Always so logical,” I said, rinsing all of the soap off of my body.

“Plus, we need to leave soon so hurry up,” she said, looking me up and down.

“Then stop distracting me,” I teased back. 

She laughed, shaking her head at me before disappearing into the bedroom.


	12. Baby Shower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're still enjoying the story. I'll try to update more frequently. I would love to hear what you think. Thanks for reading. Also, this is my first all fluff chapter!

Ten minutes after four, we walked into the room. Kara was setting the food up, buffet style, on the counter. Kelly approached her and hugged her tightly.

“Thank you, Kara. You did an amazing job. The place looks great,” she said.

“It was a lot of fun. I’m glad you like it,” Kara replied.

“What can I help with?” Kelly asked.

“Nothing. You can sit down right over here,” she said, leading Kelly to a comfy chair near the gift table.

“Everyone should be here soon. Here,” I said, handing her a bottle of water.

“Thank you,” she said, twisting the cap off right away.

Less than twenty minutes later, J’onn arrived followed by Nia and Brainy, then James who was staying a few days this time. Eliza got there about half an hour after the set start time.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said, hugging me. “It took forever to get checked in at the hotel.”

“Mom, I told you, you should stay with us. We have a room for you,” I told her.

“I don’t want to intrude,” she argued.

“You’re not. In fact, it would make me feel a lot better to have you there with Kelly for the next few days when I’m at work,” I replied.

“If you’re sure.”

“Positive,” I said, walking with her over to where Kelly was sitting.

“Don’t get up, dear,” my mom said when Kelly began to stand. “How are you feeling?”

She bent down, hugging Kelly and kissing her on the cheek.

“I’m okay. Although, I can already tell this kid has a solid future in gymnastics,” she said.

“The baby is moving a lot? That’s great news,” my mother replied.

“Oh, yeah. Your grandchild is… energetic,” Kelly said, laughing.

“Mom. You’re here, finally,” Kara said, pulling her into a hug. “Now, we can start the games.”

We played Bingo, first. Everyone filled their plates before sitting down at the long table. Kara made most of it and it was all delicious. She, apparently, got all the kitchen skill in the family. I ended up taking over reading the cards since Kara couldn’t keep food out of her mouth long enough to do it effectively. While they searched their cards for matches, I took a moment to really appreciate having so many people I loved here to celebrate one of the happiest times in my life. We spent almost an hour playing before we moved on to another baby shower staple. Kara passed around an extra roll of the streamers we used to decorate, instructing everyone to tear off enough to go all the way around Kelly’s baby bump. 

“Closest without going over wins,” she added.

I helped Kelly to her feet so that we would be ready to start comparing. I looped each paper streamer around her, finding that many of them were pretty close. Nia’s was closest, though, the ends coming within two inches of meeting. As usual, she was a sore winner, doing a shameless victory dance while Kara pouted nearby.

“She can’t win! She went shopping for maternity clothes with you,” Kara argued.

“So, did you,” Kelly replied immediately, laughing at Kara’s scandalized expression.

“Wow. And you’re the one that planned the games. You’d think you’d have the advantage,” I teased, unable to resist.

“Well, I don’t see you beating Nia. And if anyone has the upper hand-”

“I didn’t play because I knew you would object when I won,” I interrupted.

“It’s time for cake,” Kara said, admitting defeat.

I brought Kelly a corner slice, knowing her sweet tooth was in overdrive right now. The cake was chocolate with buttercream frosting and it was actually pretty delicious considering it was from the bakery at the local grocery store. The room was decidedly louder when the sugar high kicked in. Especially, because now it was time to open the gifts. The first one was from Brainy and Nia. It was an adjustable baby carrier and some swaddling blankets. J’onn got us a really nice diaper bag, filled with a few supplies like diapers, powder, diaper rash cream, and a few onesies. 

James’s gift was very… James. It was a high-tech baby monitor system that I’d have to read through pages of instructions to set up. I should have expected as much from Uncle Guardian. When it came to things like this, though, I was just like James so I knew he’d done his research to get the best one. Mom had bath time covered with an adjustable baby bath, a set of towels, and some soaps. Kara handed her gift to Kelly last.

“You didn’t have to get us anything, Kara. You already gave us this awesome party,” Kelly said.

“That was for you. This is for the baby,” she replied.

It was a set of ten picture books featuring different animal characters. They were a perfect addition to the half-full bookshelf in the nursery.

“These are perfect, Kara. Thank you,” I said, hugging her.

“Maybe I could read them to the baby when I visit,” she said.

“Definitely,” Kelly replied.

We thanked everyone for their gifts and Kara helped me put everything in the car while everyone else said their goodbyes. 

“So, James and mom are staying with you?” Kara asked.

“Just mom. James wanted to stay at the hotel in case he needs to leave for work suddenly.”

“I think it’s time for me to get a bigger place so she can stay with me sometimes.”

“I think she’d love that,” I replied. “Thanks again for today. It was amazing.”

“It was fun. And it was nice getting to see everyone together like this,” she agreed.

When we got back inside, my mom and Kelly were the only two in the room. We’d gone to Midvale a few months ago to tell my mom about the baby. Since we spent a few nights there, they were able to get to know each other much better which was just one thing on a long list that told me how right this all was. I noticed Kelly pressing her thumb into her lower back muscles and I moved to stand closer to her.

“I got the seat warmers on in the car. You ready to go?” 

“Yeah. I’m ready,” she replied.

“We’ll see you at home, Mom,” I said. “Bye, Kara.”

“Bye, guys,” she said, hugging us.

As soon as Kelly sat in the passenger seat, she sank into the warm leather, reclining the seat halfway. 

“Ready for a pre-dinner nap?” I asked, as her eyelids drifted shut.

“That sounds nice,” she said, sleepily.

When we got home, I handed her the keys and told her to go get into bed.

“Let me help you take this stuff inside,” she argued.

“No. It’s okay. I can do it. Get some rest,” I said, putting the diaper bag strap over my shoulder.

“Can I show you something, first?” she asked, biting her lip.

“Yeah. Sure,” I said, picking up the stack of books and closing the trunk for now.

I followed her into the nursery and set everything down on the changing table. Kelly opened the closet door and I saw a bulky box with a large bow on top. It wasn’t that heavy so I managed to pull it out with no trouble. 

“What is this?” I asked, looking at how perfectly wrapped it was.

“My baby shower gift for you.”

“You didn’t have to get me anything, babe.”

“Just open it,” she replied.

I tore away the paper and saw the picture printed on the outside of the box. It was a jogging stroller.

“This is the one we looked at when-”

“I hope it isn’t a negative reminder. I fought with the idea for a while. I just figured, either way, you were you going to need one so I might as well get you the one I knew you already liked,” she said, insecurity dominating her body language.

“It’s perfect. That was…” I trailed off, still embarrassed to admit it after all this time.

“You can say it. Whatever it is,” she encouraged, rubbing my arm.

“Looking at all that baby stuff with you, back then… I mean, I had a lot going on, but I felt it. These strong feelings for you. That was before I even knew you were gay. So, I thought I was just doomed. Now, here we are. I have this stroller. I have you. Soon, we’ll have our baby. It’s not a negative reminder at all,” I explained, somewhat coherently. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, kissing me just before the doorbell rang.

I went to open the door for my mother and helped her take her bags to the guest bedroom.

“Where’s Kelly?” she asked, starting to put some folded clothing into the empty dresser.

“Taking a nap. I’m gonna start dinner in a little while. You want to watch a movie or something?”

“Sure. After you show me the nursery,” she replied.

“Of course,” I said, leading her there.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, stepping inside and looking around.

“It was all Kelly. I mean, I put together the furniture, but she did everything else.”

“She’s good at this.”

“I’ll tell you when I find something she’s bad at,” I replied.

“I can’t tell you how much I love seeing you this happy, Alex. You’ve gone through so much to get here and you finally get to enjoy it.”

“And you finally get to be a grandma,” I replied, unpacking the book set and placing them on the shelf. 

“You’re going to be a really great mom, sweetheart,” she said, hugging me.

“I hope so,” I said, letting some vulnerability escape.

“You will,” she reassured me.

Since the baby shower, time seemed to speed up and I spent every day for the next month doing everything I could to stay busy. The baby monitors were installed, the guest bath was cleaned thoroughly and the tub divider was set up, the babyproofing was finished, and Kelly’s go bag was packed and put into the back of the SUV where I’d already set up the car seat. That last thing was what made me most nervous. There was still a month to go. That was a long time to spend in anticipation, thinking any moment could be the one. Especially, since Kelly had been having some insomnia lately. I spent more than a few nights up with her. 

Besides the lack of sleep, it was nice to spend time together drinking tea and talking. We usually sat on the couch because Kelly’s back pain had been appearing more frequently now that she was so close. She would always tell me that I should go back to sleep. That she didn’t want to keep me up. But I wouldn’t have her to myself for much longer so I took advantage of every moment. Plus, it couldn’t hurt to have practice running on little to no sleep. The other benefit to this insomnia was that we’d usually end up having sex since it seemed to be the biggest help in eventually getting us to sleep. It was to the point where I woke up nearly every morning feeling soreness all throughout my body. 

When we were two weeks left until the due date, I did everything in my power to keep us both occupied. At the same time, I urged her to go on her maternity leave already so that she wouldn’t go into labor at work. I took a leave of absence from the DEO because I wasn’t okay with the idea of not being there when she went into labor. Being home together, though, I had to keep reminding myself not to crowd her. I did some work remotely from my office to keep up with things and give her some time to herself. There was still very little information about our alien threat which worried me because it meant we were still a step behind them. Just as I was closing my laptop, Kelly knocked on the door before coming into the office.

“Do you want to take a break?” she asked, massaging my shoulders.

I leaned back into the touch.

“I’m already done,” I said, getting out of the chair and stretching.

“Can we go for a walk?”

“Yeah. Let me just change,” I replied, going down the hall to the bedroom.

At this point, Kelly’s walking had transformed into the waddle of a woman on the verge of giving birth. The park trail we always walked was about a quarter mile. This late in her pregnancy we’d been doing one lap, but the baby finally began dropping down into her pelvis, so we started a second lap since she wasn’t out of breath.

“Are you ready?” she asked, holding my hand.

“I don’t think there is such a thing in this case,” I replied.

“You’re probably right.”

“But I can do anything as long as I have you,” I said.

“Funny. I was thinking the same thing.”

I stopped walking, pulling her to me and kissing her.


	13. Special Delivery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a decent amount of angst and is sex scene free. Things are about to get a little intense. I worked very hard on this chapter so please leave kudos and/or feedback if you enjoyed it.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” I said to Kelly when she waddled sleepily into the kitchen.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” she asked, stretching her arms above her head.

“Why would I? You’re not getting enough sleep at night so I’m definitely not going to wake you when you are,” I replied. “Want me to make you some breakfast? Well, brunch I guess. Minus the mimosas, of course.”

“God, I miss mimosas,” she said, closing her eyes.

“Pancakes?” I asked, kissing her.

“Mm. Yes, please,” she replied, leaning against the counter.

I started gathering my supplies while she watched.

“So, the rocking chair we ordered finally arrived at the store. Do you want to come with me to get it?” I asked, setting down the metal mixing bowl and whisk.

“Yeah. I wanted to look around anyway. Make sure we have everything we need. I feel like I’m forgetting something.”

“We’re probably forgetting a few things, but it’ll be fine. All the important stuff is ready to go,” I replied, mixing the eggs into my dry ingredients.

“I can’t believe we’re going to be moms in a week,” she said.

I stopped mixing to look at her.

“You’re already a mom, Kelly. You’ve been at this almost a year already. I know it’s different once the baby is actually here, but you started taking care of the kid before you were even pregnant.”

“I love you, you know that?”

The smile on my lips after hearing that was completely involuntary.

“This is almost done. Why don’t you go sit at the table and I’ll bring it over,” I said.

It didn’t take her long to devour the stack of pancakes and crispy bacon, both of which were swimming in syrup. I just sat at the table with her, drinking my orange juice. As she brought another bite to her lips, a drop of syrup landed where I’d already been staring. She picked up her napkin, but I rushed over, licking the stickiness from her breast. Yet another benefit of the V-neck tank tops she’d been wearing to bed the past few months (despite the fact that it was December).

“Uh, I think you got it all,” Kelly said, as I continued to lick my way down her chest.

“Just wanted to be sure,” I replied.

“Let’s go get ready to go to the store,” she said, laughing.

It had been a long week in large part because of the sudden shift in Kelly’s sexual needs. With an increase in back pain and vaginal discharge, she was not at all interested. I was surprised it took this long for the dry spell to begin, but I figured I’d be able to use the excess energy stores to offset all the sleep I wouldn’t be getting in the coming months. When we got to the store, I had the rocking chair loaded into the back while Kelly wandered the aisles. I found her perusing onesies when I met her back inside. She already had two of them draped over her forearm. I took them from her and put them in the shopping cart.

We were there almost an hour despite the fact that we didn’t really need anything. I didn’t rush her because we had the whole day and I was already very aware of the fact that she was fully in nesting mode at this point. I loaded the bags into the car while Kelly got into the passenger seat. The store wasn’t very crowded, but there were two cars that had been there since I brought the chair out earlier. I didn’t think anything of it, at first, knowing first-hand how much time could be spent wandering around in there. When I started the car, though, I noticed that those vehicles left as well. It could have been a coincidence, so I tried to suppress the agent side of my brain that was immediately suspicious. I began the route back to the house, but when I took a wrong left turn, Kelly turned to me.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

There were several cars between us and them the next time I looked in the rearview mirror.

“Just stopping for a snack,” I said, not wanting to panic her yet if there wasn’t a reason.

They followed the turn so, to be sure, I took another left a few blocks down.

“Well, I don’t know what snacks you think you’re going to find in a residential area,” she quipped.

I was glad that I'd gotten the military grade tint on the vehicle, otherwise they'd have noticed me glancing back into the mirror repeatedly. At this point, I really hoped I was making it all up. When I took another left and headed back toward the road we started on, I was sure my first instinct was right.

“Okay, what’s going on?” Kelly asked.

I took a deep breath, opening my watch and pressing the button, hoping my sister would make it before anything else could happen.

“Kelly, I need you to listen to me carefully. We’re being followed. But I don't think they’re onto us yet, so I need you to not panic, okay?”

I kept driving, going past the road back home.

“What do we do?” she asked, fear causing her voice to quiver.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, handing it to her.

“When we get to that bridge you need to throw this. Yours, too,” I said, nodding my head toward the water. 

“What? But how are we going to get help?” 

“Nobody can help us,” I replied, shaking my head.

“But J’onn-”

“If Supergirl isn’t here by now, something big is going on. We’re on our own. I can lose them, but it won’t be any good if they’re tracking us. Now, once you toss everything, they’re going to know something’s up so you get down as much as you can and hang on, okay?” 

“I’m scared, Alex.” 

“I know. It’s okay. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” 

Luckily, my work at the DEO meant that I knew every side street and alley in the city. When we approached the bridge, my heart was already pounding. Kelly rolled down the window, threw the phones out, and rolled it back up. Immediately, the cars drove over the double yellow line to pass the remaining vehicles between us. Not wanting them to get any closer than they already were, I punched the gas pedal, making a sharp right to try to lose them. The blue sedan passed us, slamming on the brakes while the white car behind it turned onto the road, fishtailing with the force of it. I’d had a lot of evasive driving training throughout the years, but Kelly being in the car with me meant no mistakes. 

I scanned the street signs and realized I was about two miles from an abandoned commercial train yard. It used to be a gathering place for a local alien gang, but frequent DEO patrols have turned it into a no man’s land. The road I was on would definitely lead there, but I needed to take an alternate route to lose the last car. There was a dirt alley several yards ahead and I knew it went through to a major street a few blocks over so I took another hard turn onto it. There was barely enough space in this alley for one-way traffic which made it a risky route because there was only one way out, but it was narrow enough that the other car passed it at first and had to reverse to follow, buying me a few seconds.

At the end of the alley, there was a harsh bump as dirt met the raised pavement. As soon as I was on asphalt again, I sped down the road a quarter mile. I knew that the way I was driving would attract attention, but I couldn’t let them catch up to us. Especially, because I didn’t have a backup plan just yet. Everything in me wanted to stop and make sure that Kelly was still okay, but my entire focus had to be on getting us far off their radar. In the rearview, I saw both cars again, trailing much further behind than before. The traffic on this road was helpful in that way. When I got further away from them, I made another turn. Then another quickly after that. I ended up on a street adjacent to my destination and once I was completely sure that they were no longer behind us, I pulled slowly into the dirt at the train yard so it wouldn’t kick up dust. 

“Did we lose them?” Kelly asked quietly, voice still quivering.

“Yeah. But we need to get rid of the car. Are you okay?” I asked, still panting from the adrenaline.

“Just… My heart’s racing. But, other than that, I’m fine,” she replied.

I pulled up to a row of shipping containers before parking and getting out. I pulled the doors open to one of the containers, finding it mostly empty. Satisfied that the car would fit, I went to the passenger side and opened the door.

“Come here,” I said, helping Kelly out and bringing her to the side of the container. “I’m going to pull the car in here. Take this,” I replied, giving her my gun.

“Alex-,” she started.

“Just in case. I’m gonna be right here,” I said.

I went to the rear of the car and opened the hatchback because there wouldn’t be enough room for me to open the doors once I was inside. I quickly pulled the car in, climbing over the back seat. I picked up the rocking chair and flipped it over from the cargo area into the back seat so I could get to my supplies. Once I got out, I looked around to make sure we were still in the clear. I pushed Kelly’s bag to the side, opening the compartment where I kept the spare tire. There was an additional storage space I had custom built underneath it. I pulled out the tire, putting it with the rocking chair. 

Unlocking the gun safe, I took out two more handguns and backup clips. I returned the gun Kelly had been holding to the holster on my hip. I took off my jacket so I could put on the shoulder holster, putting the other two guns into place and my jacket back on over top of it.

“Why are they chasing us?” Kelly asked as I handed her the first aid kit, which I kept so stocked that I had to use a backpack.

“I don’t know. I don’t know how many there are or where they came from so we need to be prepared,” I answered, grabbing a towel from Kelly’s hospital bag.

I closed the doors to the shipping container and dragged the towel along the tracks, erasing the pattern from the dirt. 

“What do we do now?” she asked.

“We need to find a place to hide out for now until it’s safe for us to go get help. Do you think you can make it to that building over there?” I asked, pointing to a loading bay across the tracks.

“What about the water?” she asked.

“It’s just a drainage ditch. It’s only a few inches deep right now,” I said.

“Okay. Yeah. Let’s go,” she said, nodding her head.

We crossed two sets of train tracks, reaching a break in the fence leading down the drainage ditch. There was a three-foot drop to the slanted concrete so I braced my stance and helped Kelly over it. She leaned back a little as she walked to counter the incline and she gasped as the water seeped into her shoes. We were already freezing, but the more distance we put between us and the car, the better chance we would have at making it through this. Climbing up the other side was slow going, but we eventually made it across and as soon as we were over the opposite wall, I drew the gun from my hip holster to stay ready. Peeking around the corner of the large opening in the building, I scanned for signs of danger.

“Stay close to me,” I whispered to Kelly, bringing us inside and doing another visual sweep from this improved angle.

There was a metal staircase in all four corners of the large, open building, all leading to a walkway around the perimeter of the second level.

“We need to gain the high ground. Can you make it up the stairs?” I asked her.

“Yes,” she replied, though she was breathing heavily.

I started up the steps, Kelly close behind, and with just a few more left to climb, she stopped suddenly in her tracks.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, turning around.

Kelly’s eyes were wide.

“I think my water just broke,” she replied.

The second she said it, I started to panic internally. But, for her, I needed to make everything okay. I couldn’t show her that I was seconds from a breakdown. That trickle of fluid down her thighs meant that we were running out of time and checking into a hospital right now was dangerous, if not impossible.

“Okay. It’s gonna be okay. We just need to get into one of these offices,” I said, helping her up the final few stairs.

The door to the closest room was locked.

“Can you hold this?” I asked, handing Kelly the small flashlight on my keychain.

I got down on one knee in front of the door, pulling my lock picking tools out of my inside jacket pocket.

“Why don’t you just kick down the door?” she asked, holding the light steady.

“Because the idea is to make it look like we were never here. Kicking down doors is not very stealthy,” I explained, turning the tools slowly until I heard the satisfying click.

We went into the dark room and I closed the door behind us before I locked it again. The only furniture was a large, wooden desk, a small bookshelf, a filing cabinet, and a rolling chair. I used the towel I was still carrying to wipe down the desk before balling it up and setting it at one edge.

“Here. Lie back,” I said to Kelly, helping her onto the desk.

I went to the window and looked out through the blinds to see if they’d managed to find us while Kelly settled onto the makeshift pillow. I was starting to feel lightheaded from analyzing our situation from every angle. The area was still clear and Kelly wasn’t having contractions yet.

“I need to get you a doctor,” I said.

“You know that’s not possible,” she replied, calmly.

“Sure, it is. There’s a gas station down the street. I can get someone,” I reasoned.

“And, what, leave me here?” she asked.

“I just need a minute to think. You’re not having contractions yet. We have time,” I said. 

“We may have time… But we only have one option,” Kelly replied.

“Which is?” I asked, hoping she had a plan.

She sat up a little, palms flat on the desk behind her.

“Alex, you have a lot of medical training,” she started.

“No. No. Just... Don't say what I think you're going to say," I replied, finally giving in to my panic.

"Babe-"

"I can’t,” I said, shaking my head.

She picked one hand up, bringing it to the back of my neck and pulled me so close that my forehead was resting against hers.

“You can. I know you can,” she whispered.

“It’s too dangerous. We don’t have the right equipment and sterilization,” I argued.

“I know it’s dangerous. But we don’t have a choice.” 

I pulled out of the embrace, knowing she was right. I thought I’d at least have some time to get used to the idea while I went to the first aid backpack. I zipped it open on the chair, holding the flashlight between my teeth so I could use both hands to unpack it and take a visual inventory of what I had to work with. As I reached for a bottle of antibacterial gel, Kelly groaned loudly, gripping the sides of the desk. I rushed over to her, grabbing her hand. I reached back into the bag with my other hand, pulling out one of the small utility towels, wiping at the sweat that already coated her face and chest despite how cold it was in here.

“I’m okay. You need to keep getting everything ready,” she said, taking shallow breaths.

“It’s 2:38,” I said, looking at my watch. “We need to time the contractions so we know when you need to start pushing.”

“Give me your watch. I’ll keep track,” Kelly said.

“No. I can do that. You need to focus on your breathing. It’s most likely going to be several hours until then anyway,” I replied, continuing to pull things from the bag.

I found a small notebook and pen in one of the front pockets, so I started writing down the times and durations, knowing that my brain was much too occupied to mentally keep track. Then, I got back to work. While I was busy, Kelly got up, taking the small stack of towels from me, setting them on the desk.

“What are you doing? You should be resting,” I said.

“Like you said, we still have hours,” she said, taking both of my hands in hers. “Let me help.”

“Fine. But when the contractions get worse, you need to lie down.”

“Hey, I know you’re freaking out,” she said, rubbing her thumbs against the backs of my hands.

“You’re the one in labor. How are you so calm?” I asked, taking a breath for the first time in half a minute.

“Because I have you,” she said, simply.

I wiped away the tear that fell down my cheek, wondering how someone could have so much faith in me. She dried the remaining wetness with her thumb and kissed me so softly that it was almost like our lives weren’t in danger.

“You know, you’re always telling me how brave I am, but you’re the brave one,” I said, voice cracking through the knot in my throat. “I love you more than I’ll ever be able to tell you.”

“Ditto,” she said, before getting hit with another contraction.

I helped her to the desk and she leaned against it, one hand bracing herself on the corner of it and the other clutching my arm for support. She grunted, breath quickening as she fought against the pain. I looked at my watch again.

“Twenty minutes. I’m going to clear all the stuff out of this corner. We need to make somewhere for you to lie down.”

There was very little to work with so once I cleared the area, I moved everything off of the chair and flipped it over. Taking out my pocket knife, I started to remove the screws that were attached to the base of it, removing the wheels and stand. I carried it over to the bare corner, setting the back of it against the wall. Luckily, it had a lot of padding and back support.

“Do you want to see how this feels?” I asked, holding my hand out to her.

We walked over and I helped her get down onto the floor. The chair reclined when she leaned back and I got down on my knees in front of her.

“Will it work?”

“Yeah. I think so,” Kelly responded.

I moved back to sit down across from her. We’d done what we could for now. I leaned back, grabbing a large, stainless steel bottle of water from the bag, handing it to Kelly.

“Won’t you need this to clean things?” she asked.

“There’s another one in there. Plus, I have some alcohol and antiseptic. But you’ll still have to ration it,” I explained.

We sat for a while, not saying anything. It was kind of nice for things to be so quiet. When her next contraction broke the silence, I moved to sit beside her, stroking her leg and reminding her to breathe.

“I wish I could give you something for the pain,” I sighed, when the tight furrow of her brow relaxed.

“It’s okay,” she replied, sounding a little worn out already. “How long was that?”

“Fourteen minutes,” I said, looking at my watch.

I got up, going to check out the window again. The area was still deserted, but I opened the door of the office to look out into the rest of the building. Still no one. I moved the desk to block the door, just for a little extra security, and went back to sit by her. 

“You think things will ever be easy for us?” Kelly asked, managing a tired laugh.

“No. But at least it won’t always be this hard,” I replied, giving her a gentle massage.

“We should talk about what we’re gonna do next. We’re going to need more water. And food. We’re only going to be able to stay the night,” she said, rubbing slow circles into her stomach with the palm of her hand.

“There’s a DEO black site about ten miles North of here. But we can’t wait until morning. As soon as you’re able, we need to go. It usually takes a few days to be able to walk, but I’m going to have to figure out a way to get you out of here because the longer we’re here, the greater the chance they’ll find us. And we need a car. Using ours is too risky,” I said.

“I don’t suppose the DEO trained you on hotwiring,” Kelly replied.

“Well, let’s just say that not all of my special skills were taught by the DEO,” I answered.

“The lock picking?”

“All me, babe,” I replied, proudly. 

“You’re still so full of surprises,” Kelly said, smiling. 

I smiled back at her and enjoyed the one second of calm it gave me.

“You hungry? I have a few granola bars,” I said.

“Nauseated, actually,” she said, turning to the side a little.

I got up and grabbed the plastic trash can from the other side of the room. I set it down on the other side of her, sitting back in my spot. The next few hours passed by much more quickly than I would have liked. Kelly probably was not experiencing the same time acceleration since her contractions were lasting much longer now and were in much shorter intervals. The only blanket I had in the kit was a thermal blanket, but it was better than nothing so I ripped open the plastic packaging and pulled it out, not unfolding it yet.

“I’m gonna help you get undressed, okay?” I asked, rubbing her knee. “They’re only a couple of minutes apart.”

“Okay,” she said, nodding. 

I pulled off her maternity jeans and underwear first, draping the blanket over her lower half. 

“Shirt and bra, too. Skin to skin contact is important, especially with how cold it is in here,” I said, helping her pull them off as she leaned forward a little.

She adjusted the blanket, pulling it up to cover her top half, the end of it draped over her bent knees. The only thing that kept my panic at bay was my strong focus on making sure that I didn’t fail at this. It was already dark outside, not that I wanted to risk opening the blinds anyway, so I worked to find the perfect spot for the flashlight that would give me the best view. I got the pocket knife out again and opened an alcohol wipe, scrubbing the blade and handle with it before putting it down by my other supplies that were resting on one of the small towels. Then, I took my jacket off and dripped a generous blob of hand sanitizer into my palm. I worked it over both hands and up to my elbows, feeling the cold air even more as it dried on my skin.

Once my hands were fully dry, I put on a pair of the blue gloves and knelt between her legs. The pace of her breathing increased and she struggled to maintain the pattern we’d practiced for months.

“On your next contraction, I want you to try to talk, okay? It’ll let me know how dilated you are,” I explained. 

“Okay,” she replied, nodding.

After taking a sip of water, she set the bottle back down and immediately had another contraction. Her grip on the chair arms was so tight that I was worried she’d snap the plastic holding it to the rest of the chair. She groaned louder than the other times, sweat dripping down her chest.

“Are you able to talk?” 

She shook her head slightly and fought to correct her breathing.

“Okay. Then, if you feel like you need to push, do it,” I instructed. “Do you feel like you need to push?”

She nodded this time and I moved the blanket to her thighs.

“Go ahead,” I told her, eyes going back and forth between reading her expression and checking for new developments under the blanket.

It took a few pushes before I could finally see the top of the head.

“You’re crowning, babe,” I said, turning to wipe my tears on my shoulder. “You’re doing awesome.”

The process was slow going, but once the head slipped out a bit further, I cradled it in my palm, guiding the tiny frame. I gently turned the baby when one shoulder, then the other, emerged. I’d never seen Kelly more powerful than now because amidst her screams of agony, this life was halfway into the world. 

“Just a little more,” I coached.

By the time the feet were out, our daughter was already crying. As quickly as I could, I got her into Kelly’s arms and reached for my leather jacket, draping it over them both and pulling the blanket up over that.

“She’s a girl,” I said, barely able to tell her through happy tears.

Kelly looked down at her and then over at me.

“She?” she asked, sobbing more heavily.

“Yeah. Did you still want to name her what we decided?” I asked.

“Yeah. I think she’s an Emma,” she whispered back.

“Emma,” I agreed, kissing Kelly on the lips, tasting the saltiness of tears and sweat.

I went back to my supplies, taking off my gloves and grabbing a clean towel. Using the other bottle of water, I drenched the towel, warming it between my hands.

“Here. Do you want to clean her off? I still need to cut the cord and you’re going to deliver the placenta soon. Hang onto her,” I said, handing Kelly the wet towel.

After cleaning her as best as she could, Kelly covered everything but Emma’s nose and mouth with the jacket and blanket, trying to keep her warm. I put on a new pair of gloves just as a gush of blood splashed onto the floor in front of me and Kelly began experiencing some less intense contractions. I picked up my sanitized knife to cut the cord and briefly thought about how it was a far cry from what I’d pictured when I thought of this moment. Within another ten minutes, the placenta was birthed.

“I’m going to massage your stomach. It’s probably going to hurt, but this part is the risky part. It’ll help slow down the bleeding,” I explained, reaching forward to do it.

She groaned as the tenderness was probably pretty unbearable, but allowed me to continue. I looked up, watching Kelly as she kept looking at Emma, a smile on her face despite everything. When I was confident that the bleeding had slowed enough, I began to clean up and sterilize everything as effectively as I could with my remaining supplies. With my second to last pair of fresh gloves on, I carefully cleaned Kelly up as well, making sure that everything was normal. Once I was done, I rested on my knees, facing Kelly and I peeked at the tiny nose and mouth protruding from the layers of fabric.

“You know I’m going to have to leave you here to get the car,” I said, feeling a pain in my gut at the thought.

I hated that I had to leave them now, but every second was precious. The look Kelly gave me after I said it broke my heart.

“Babe, no. You can’t. What if something happens to you?” she said, panic already in her eyes.

“I have to. Keeping you two safe is my _only_ priority,” I said, putting a hand on her cheek.

“Alex-”

“I’m going to write down instructions for you,” I said, flipping to a new page of the notebook.

“No. We can think of something else,” she said, barely holding back sobs.

“This will tell you exactly how to get to the black site and who you need to talk to. You won’t have any trouble if you give them this,” I replied, ripping out the page and handing it to her along with my badge.

“Stop, okay? I’m not letting you leave me. I can’t do this,” she said.

“Yes, you can. You have to,” I said, my eyes blurred with tears.

I took the gun from my hip, and the two extra clips that I’d brought for it, and set them down next to her. She grabbed my wrist and held it tightly. I kissed her for several long seconds before I could convince myself to pull away. The whole thing killed me inside. She didn’t let go of my wrist.

“Don’t go,” she said, fully crying now.

“Listen to me, Kelly. I know you couldn’t be more scared right now, but we’ve been here hours and they haven’t found us. You know why?” I asked.

She shook her head, sobbing too much to speak.

“Because I know what I’m doing. And I’m good at it. And this is the perfect time to do this because most people are asleep. They won’t notice the car is gone until morning. You’ll be hooked up to IVs and taking a well-deserved nap by then, okay?”

Kelly shook her head like she was trying to will another option into existence, but none was forthcoming.

“How long will you be gone?” she asked.

“Less than an hour. If it’s longer… If it’s longer than that, you need to get out of here as soon as you can walk and call the number on that paper,” I replied.

“No. If you don’t come back, I’m coming to look for you,” she argued.

“You can’t do that. Promise me you won’t,” I replied, sternly.

“I’m not going to promise you that, Alex,” she said. 

“You have to keep Emma safe.”

“And I will. But I am _not_ going to lose you.”

“Damn it, Kelly! I need to know that she’ll have you if something happens to me,” I said.

There was silence for a minute while she considered.

“Fine. I promise. Just… please come back,” she said, pulling me closer by my shirt and kissing me again.

When Emma whined, I broke the kiss and l held the covers away from Emma’s face just enough to kiss her on the cheek. I brought all of our supplies within arms’ reach for Kelly and then moved the desk away from the door.

“I love you,” I said, trying not to start crying again.

“I love you, too,” she replied, not taking her eyes off of me.

I turned the lock on the door, closing it behind me. As much as I felt like my whole world was coming down around me, I had to focus on finding a car right now.


	14. Getaway

It was after one in the morning so I had the advantage of darkness through my journey. My gun was drawn as I swept the perimeter once more. I kept getting distracted by my anxiousness at the thought of leaving them and the fact that this was the best chance we had for survival was the only thing keeping me from racing back upstairs. I wanted to run from here to the first available car, but if I didn’t pay attention to my surroundings, I wouldn’t be any good to Kelly and Emma. I considered abandoning the plan and taking our car anyway because I could be back at the loading bay in five minutes, but it really was a terrible idea. I’d barely made it to the train yard. If they found us again, there would be no hope of making the twenty-minute drive to the black site. 

That in mind, I walked in the opposite direction of the car and toward a quiet, tree-covered neighborhood. I scanned each vehicle in my vicinity. It needed to be old enough that it was unlikely to have an alarm. It needed to be far enough away from the house to not attract attention with the sound. It would, preferably, be one that wasn’t used frequently which would delay a stolen vehicle report. I looked at my watch, noting that twenty minutes had already passed since I left, but I shook my head because I needed to stay focused. Before getting to the end of the next block, I found a place with a separated garage. There was a car next to it and when I looked into the window of the garage, I saw that there was another one inside.

My impatience was making decision-making much harder. The one outside the garage was easier, but it was newer and was probably used daily. The one inside the garage was an older vehicle which meant it may not even run and opening the garage had more noise and movement complications, but it would be much easier to hotwire since it had been a long time since I’d done it. Ultimately, the risk seemed greater with the potential car alarm of the outside car so I reconciled the fact that I would have to add B&E to my criminal activities tonight and got out my lock picking kit for the second time in twenty-four hours. I turned the handle slowly, noting only a slight creak in the metal as I pushed it up just enough to roll under for now.

The car door wasn’t locked which saved me about half a minute. I got in, prying open the panel on the steering column with my pocket knife. I put the car in neutral and pulled up the emergency brake. It took me a minute to find the right wires in the dark and I’d left my flashlight with Kelly. I stripped the insulation from the battery and ignition wires, twisting them together tightly, my heart racing as the moment of truth approached. The ignition came to life and I nearly cried with relief, but I still wasn’t done. I turned on the dim lights so that I could search for something to cover the wires because dying from something as mundane as an electrical shock would be such a waste after all this. I found a roll of electrical tape in a bucket near the tool area and took it back to the car, tearing off a two-inch piece and sticking it to the steering wheel. 

After locating the wire for the starter motor, I carefully stripped it and touched it to the other two. The engine came on and the low hum and lively vibration of the vehicle meant I could finally take a breath. Moving much more quickly now, I turned off the lights and opened the garage door as little as possible to get the car out. Driving two miles per hour, I rolled out and then rushed to close the door before driving away, satisfied that nobody would know I was there at least until morning. I was a three-minute drive from Kelly now and it had been forty-eight minutes, which was about forty-five minutes longer than I’d spent with my daughter so far. 

I pulled into the bay, putting the car in park and noticing that there was a quarter of a tank of gas which should have been more than enough to make our trip. I bolted up the stairs and was relieved to find that the door was still locked. I bent down, having a harder time with the lock in the darkness, and eventually got it open. There was no light in the room, which I expected because Kelly knew a thing or two about stealth. I couldn’t see if she was still in the same place or not, but I heard the click of a gun hammer in the opposite corner.

“Kelly, it’s me,” I said, still unable to see anything. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. We’re over here,” she replied. 

I heard the sound of the gun being placed on the tile before she turned on the flashlight. She was hidden behind the large desk so I followed the light around it and knelt across from her. I was about to do a visual assessment of her condition, but before I could she pulled me to her by my shirt and kissed me so hard that my lips still tingled for a minute after she broke it.

“I’m gonna carry you to the stairs. You’re not going to be able to walk on your own and it’s going to take a lot of upper body strength. I’m sure you’re feeling very weak and I know I sound like a broken record at this point, but it’s going to hurt. But once we get you into the back seat, that’s it. We’re gone,” I said.

“I’m ready. I can do it,” she replied, nodding.

“How did you dress yourself?” I asked, noticing when the light shifted.

“Very slowly,” she replied, laughing softly causing Emma to make some noise.

“Okay. Let’s go,” I said after taking a second to myself to be in awe of her again.

I put on the backpack of remaining supplies, then braced one hand behind her back and the other under her bent knees. I was sure I only accomplished the task through sheer adrenaline, but we eventually made it to the top of the stairs. I helped Kelly to sit, resting her feet about two steps down, which was two less that she’d have to descend.

“Let me put Emma in the car and then we’ll do this,” I said.

She handed her to me and despite the fact that it was only for a few seconds, I was very affected by how it felt to hold my baby in my arms for the first time. It wasn’t fair, but if I wanted more moments with her, it was the way things had to be. I opened the rear passenger door, setting her on the floor of the back seat, making sure she was securely swaddled. Then, I tossed the backpack into the front passenger seat before rushing back up to Kelly.

“Okay. I’m going to help you onto your feet,” I said.

I sat down next to her, wrapping my left arm around her waist tightly. With my other hand, I braced her arm across my shoulders and held her wrist so she wouldn’t have to try so hard to hang onto me.

“Ready?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“On three. One… Two… Three,” I said, using as much of my own strength as I could to lift her.

Her jaw clenched and I couldn’t imagine the pain she was in, but she fought back against it no matter what.

“You lead. Step when you’re ready and let me know if you need to sit. I’m not going to let you fall. I promise,” I said.

She gripped the railing so hard that her knuckles turned white. Since I was slightly taller, I was able to take a majority of her weight off of her feet. When we had three steps left, she started to really struggle.

“Just one more. I can carry you the rest of the way. You’ve got this, babe.”

Her foot shakily approached the next step and when the other landed next to it, I lifted her back into my arms. Getting her into the car seemed like the easy part after all the rest and soon, she was finally resting with her head against the opposite door. I put one knee between her legs, leaning to grab the seatbelt. I had to get creative but, eventually, she was at least more secure than no seatbelt at all. I picked up Emma and put her in Kelly’s arms before shutting the door and getting in the driver’s seat. While I felt a little relief, I couldn’t let my guard down in the home stretch. 

“How is she doing?” I asked without turning around.

“I got her to eat a little bit while you were gone. Right now, she’s just staring at me.”

“Yeah, well, I would be too if I didn’t have to keep my eyes on the road,” I replied, scanning the mirrors every other second.

“Leave it to you to flirt at a time like this,” she teased.

“That wasn’t me flirting. I really just want to stare at your face right now,” I said.

I cleared my throat because I already felt the tears coming and there wasn’t time for that yet. When she was quiet for a while, I turned quickly to look at her and saw that her eyes were still open, but barely.

“I know you’re exhausted, but keep talking to me. I need to make sure that you haven’t passed out,” I said.

I remembered seeing blood on her pants when I put her in the car and while it wasn’t an abnormal amount, I still had the fear of her bleeding out lurking among all my other thoughts.

“What do you want to talk about? It’s been kind of a boring day,” she said.

“Joking. That’s a good sign.”

I turned a twenty-minute drive into a fifteen-minute one and when I saw the tall, chain-link fence, I felt the adrenaline finally start to ware off.

“We’re here,” I told her, slowing down at the gate. “Kinda reminds me of that story you told me about Bashur now that I think about it.”

“Ours is more dramatic,” she replied.

“Strongly agree,” I said, rolling down the window.

She handed me my badge as two armed guards approached. Two others walked around the vehicle.

“This is a government facility. I’m going to have to ask you to turn your vehicle around.”

“I’m Director Danvers. My wife just gave birth and I need to get her to the med bay,” I replied, handing him my badge.

“Follow that vehicle, Director. I’ll instruct them to get you to the med bay as fast as possible,” he said.

“Thank you,” I said as he signaled another agent to open the gate. 

I drove through, following a meandering pathway with several divergences and when the vehicle finally parked, four agents dressed in sterile gowns and gloves approached quickly with a gurney. I rushed to her side and took Emma now that I could hold her. I remained close by as they wheeled her into the building.

“Can someone get me Clemmons?” I asked when we arrived in an exam room.

“Right away, Director.”

Emma fidgeted in my arms and I gently rocked her until one of the DEO doctors entered the room.

“Check Emma first,” Kelly weakly said to the doctor.

“Kelly, no. She’s fine for now. You need immediate care,” I said before turning to the doctor. “Help her. Please.”

“We have another doctor heading this way,” he said.

I sighed in relief.

“Director Danvers. What’s going on?” Agent Clemmons asked.

“I was hoping you’d be able to tell me. All I know is we were being followed. I tried to contact Supergirl, but… If she’s missing, it has to have something to do with an investigation or something, right?”

“Agent Dox briefed my team regarding Supergirl. I’d be happy to catch you up once you’ve been looked over,” he said.

“I’m fine. Take me to a secure line. I’d like to speak with Agent Dox.”

“Of course, Director.”

I turned to Kelly.

“These guys are going to take care of you okay, babe? I’m gonna go talk to Brainy and find out what’s going on,” I said, kissing her.

I followed Agent Clemmons down the hall to an elevator.

“Congratulations, by the way,” he said when the doors closed.

“Thank you. I guess parenting can only get easier from here, huh?”

“That’s a good way to look at it,” he replied, laughing.

We were a few floors down, now, and after a few more rights and lefts in the labyrinth, we arrived at a conference room with no windows. A thumbprint was required just to get inside.

“I’ll be right outside,” he said, closing the door behind me.

After one ring, Brainy appeared on the screen mounted on the far wall.

“Alex!” he said, surprise and relief mixing in his expression. “I’ve been trying to contact you. I couldn’t even trace your phone.”

“I had to get rid of it. Kelly’s, too. It’s a long story, but for now I need you to tell me whatever you know about Supergirl. Is J’onn okay?” I asked.

“J’onn was tracking her and, sadly, has not returned.”

“Who’s behind it?”

“It was the Arneads. We figured out, too late, how they’ve been increasing their numbers. I suggest… You should sit down,” he said.

“Tell me,” I said, staying put.

“Well, as it turns out, Arneads are able to reproduce with humans. When they discovered this… Male Arneads have been replacing sperm samples in cryogenic labs throughout the country with their own.”

“What? How long has this been happening?”

“I have no idea. But agent Matthews found that they have accomplished this by having one or more of them working in these facilities so that they’re able to track the women who become pregnant with their offspring. They will then kidnap the child, bringing it back to be raised among their Arnead half-siblings.”

“Wait. Are you saying-”

“I’m afraid that’s exactly what I’m saying,” he interrupted. “I’m sorry.”

I dropped to my knees then, not yet able to accept it. I wanted to argue that he couldn’t be sure, but Emma had almost been kidnapped so that basically confirmed it.

“And they kidnapped Supergirl as insurance. Now, J’onn is stuck there, too,” I said, shaking my head. 

I took a deep breath in because it still wasn’t time for me to break down. I pushed it away, getting up from the ground and talking past the lump in my throat.

“Have you found out where they’re being kept?”

“Yes.”

“Make contact with agent Matthews and get me an extraction team. We’ll go in at the guards’ shift change.”

“You should rest. I can lead the team,” he said, hesitantly.

“I’m going to check on Kelly. I’ll be there in thirty minutes so you can brief my team, am I clear?” I asked.

“Yes, Director,” he replied, disappointed.

I ended the call and headed back toward Kelly’s room with Agent Clemmons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this chapter provided some relief. Let me know what you think. I know it's kind of another cliffhanger, but it's not as bad as the last one. Lol.


	15. New Normal

The atmosphere of the room was much different than when I left. Kelly was asleep while Emma was in a makeshift bed nearby. Many of the lights had been turned off and I stood next to the bed, wanting to grab her hand or kiss her, but not wanting to wake her. She was in a paper gown now and she’d been cleaned up. Some of the color was gone from her face, but she had some meds hooked up to her IV and seemed to be comfortable.

“You called me your wife,” she said weakly, eyes still closed.

“Well, yeah. It feels weird calling you my girlfriend after all this. You should be sleeping,” I said, taking her hand now.

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at me.

“Did you find out anything?” she asked.

“I don’t want to talk about that right now. I want you to get some rest, and I’ll be back soon.”

“Where are you going?” 

“I have to go take care of something so we can take Emma back home,” I replied.

“Let everyone else handle it, Alex. You need to be here with your daughter,” she said.

“Kelly… They have Kara and J’onn. I have to.”

“That’s why she didn’t come when you pressed the button,” she said, understanding now.

“It all just happened so fast,” I said, shaking my head. “Except not.”

“What do you mean?” Kelly asked, confused.

“It’s too much to get into now. I’ll tell you everything when I come back,” I replied.

“Please be careful,” she said, tears already poised to drop.

“I will,” I replied, leaning down to kiss her, making it last.

My hand slipped out of hers and I walked over to Emma, who was still very much asleep, and kissed her forehead just under her little hat.

“Get some sleep. I love you,” I said to Kelly.

“I love you, too,” she replied, watching me leave.

I met Agent Clemmons in the hallway.

“I need a car to get to headquarters.”

“I’ll take you back to the garage,” he said, before instructing an agent via walkie-talkie.

“I’m hoping I won’t be gone more than a few hours. Do you think you could keep an eye on them for me and let me know if anything changes?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks, Clemmons. I really appreciate your help with all of this,” I said as we approached the awaiting vehicle.

“No problem. I’ll see you when you get J’onzz and Supergirl back.”

When I got to the DEO, Brainy spotted me right away and rushed over.

“Director. I have your team ready, but I really must urge you to reconsider going out into the field. They are still a significant threat.”

“You know there’s no talking me out of this, Brainy. I’m their best chance of getting out of that place. We have the schematics, don’t we?”

“Well, yes.”

“Good. Then it’s a clean in and out with a manageable risk. And it’s three in the morning. They’re not going to have their best guys on duty. Get my team on the road.”

“Don’t you want to hear the plan?” he said.

“Tell us on the way,” I replied.

We were all in the back of a tactical van minutes later. 

“Agent Matthews is poised to cause a diversion. When he does, we will have just a few minutes to clear their cells. He said the codes to open them are changed hourly and has already provided us with the ones we need,” Brainy explained.

“Okay. I’ll be waiting for Matthews’ signal and then I’ll give the signal to move. Does everyone understand the plan?” I asked, receiving nods from the team of four. “Great. We arrive in twelve minutes. Everyone take that time to study the schematics again.”

Brainy handed a copy to each of them. There was much more to this plan that I’d be reading about in the reports. Brainy organized the other agents to take on the Arneads while their guard was down. They’d been ordered to use lethal force as necessary. We needed to know how far-reaching their efforts had been, so anyone who could be captured was to be taken back to the DEO for questioning. Another team had been tasked with locating the children that had already been taken and getting them to safety. This was the largest operation we’d done since I’ve been with the DEO and it was easily the most dangerous since they still outnumbered us.

Our caravan was half a block away and when I got the signal from Matthews, we raced into the parking lot. We were the last team to go in because the chaos going on inside was part of the distraction that was going to get J’onn and Supergirl out of here. Weaving through the hoard, my team and I made our way to our destination, taking out threats along the way. I was surprised by the level of technology they had available considering they were a group of radicals. A very large group. We made it to the cells without much delay and they both looked incredibly relieved to see us. J’onn phased us out to the car immediately. 

“Stay here. I’m going to start getting agents out of there,” he said.

“You’re not the boss of me,” I called weakly after him, slumping against the car.

“Alex, are you okay?” Kara asked worriedly, kneeling beside me.

“It’s been a day,” I replied, finally unable to fight back against my exhaustion now that they were safe.

She picked me up.

“Wait. What are you doing?” I asked.

“Taking you to the DEO,” she replied.

“No. I need to go to the black site to be with Kelly,” I replied.

“What is Kelly doing at the black site? Why didn’t you just take her to a safe house?” she asked, flying toward the black site anyway.

“I told you. Long day,” I said, not able to say more at this point.

She brought me directly to the med bay and I stood on wobbling feet for a second before everything went black. I woke up, completely disoriented. When my blurred vision finally adjusted, I saw that it was after seven in the morning. I looked around to assess my surroundings and found that I was in a bed next to Kelly's. She was up on one elbow, looking over at me. I tried to sit up, but my head felt fuzzy so it took a second try and some pained groaning to finally lean upright.

“You’re alive,” she said, sobbing immediately.

“I’m fine. Just exhausted, okay? I’m okay,” I said, shifting to stand.

I knew it would do more than me just saying it. I slowly walked over, picking up Emma who was also awake now. I sat down in the chair by Kelly’s bed, watching her eyes roam over Emma’s face and then mine.

“Tell me this is all over and done with,” she pleaded softly.

“Not exactly. But soon.”

“Alex! You’re awake,” Kara said, rushing into the room. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I was just worried.”

“Do you wanna hold your niece?” I asked her, wanting the attention off of myself.

“Kelly let me hold her while you were out, but still yes,” she said, reaching for the infant. “You weren’t kidding when you said you had a long day.”

“You know what? Kara and I should go update Clemmons,” I said.

“Oh. That can wait,” Kara said.

“The sooner the better. We need to keep him informed,” I said, carefully taking Emma from her and setting her back in the bed. “Be back in no time, babe.”

I kissed her and practically shoved Kara out into the hallway.

“Why are you rushing me?” she asked, stopping and turning to me.

“Because I need to know everything you and Kelly talked about,” I said, leading her further down the hall just to be safe.

“She told me everything that happened. About you guys being chased and you delivering Emma. Super impressive by the way,” she added.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t have a choice. But you didn’t tell her about Emma, did you?” I asked.

“No. What, she doesn’t know? Alex, why haven’t you told her?” she asked, raising her voice.

“Because I just found out. And… and because I don’t know how to. I mean, after all this, I’m gonna throw that on her, too?”

“You know she needs to know,” Kara said, sternly.

“We don’t know anything about these Arnead/human hybrids yet, you know? What if she doesn’t even have powers or anything?”

“Alex… You still need to tell her,” she replied, standing her ground.

“Fuck. I know I do. I know.”

“So, do it.”

“I will,” I said, absolutely dreading it.

“It’s gonna be fine. Kelly will love her no matter what.”

“Why are you always right? It’s annoying,” I said, bumping her shoulder with mine.

“Maybe it’s another superpower,” she replied.

“Let’s not get carried away,” I replied.

Then, we really did go update Clemmons before heading back to the room. Kara said goodbye to Kelly and her niece and flew off to the DEO to check on J’onn.

“Can you hand her to me?” Kelly asked, moving her hydraulic bed up so that she was leaning back instead of lying down fully.

I picked Emma up carefully, handing her over to her mother. She was crying, but settled not long after she was in Kelly’s arms. I was still feeling somewhat weak, but I wanted to spend some time with my family before succumbing to sleep so I sat back down in the chair. She adjusted her gown and the blanket so that she could feed Emma again.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“They said I need to stay in bed at least a week after everything,” she replied.

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

“I’m on a lot of medication. I still feel this dull ache, but it’s nothing like yesterday,” she said.

“I don’t know how you’re even awake right now,” I said, noting the dark circles under her eyes.

“I couldn’t fall asleep without knowing that you were okay,” she replied.

“I did what I needed to do. Now, I’m gonna be right here with you two until we can go home.”

Once Emma had her fill, it was the perfect time for all of us to get some sleep. I crawled into the bed after burping her, still not entirely content because the Arneads that did this to us were likely still in that building but, for once, I was going to let the rest of the DEO handle it. At least for now.

Without windows, it was easy to pretend it wasn’t ten in the morning and I fell asleep once I was sure Kelly was out. It was eight at night before I woke up to my stomach growling to the point that I couldn’t ignore it. I got up, needing a bathroom break before anything else. I wasn’t sure how to go about getting food in this place so, when I got back to my bed, I pressed the call button and a DEO nurse entered a minute later.

“Everything alright, Director?” she asked, approaching me.

“Yeah. I’m just wondering if there’s like a kitchen or something here. I’m starving.”

“I’ll bring something up for both of you,” she replied.

“Thank you,” I said, sincerely, before she headed out of the room.

When the trays were wheeled into the room, Kelly woke up, eyelids still heavy. The nurse quickly looked over Kelly’s monitors and, once she was satisfied that everything was stable, she left.

“Hungry?” I asked, as I set her tray on the table next to her bed.

“Actually, yes,” she said, raising her bed so that she was sitting upright.

I pushed the small table into position in front of her and sat down with my tray on my lap. We didn’t say anything, both of us eating like we hadn’t in days. As I was finishing up, Agent Clemmons entered the room.

“I heard you were awake. Now that you’re rested, I wanted to show you to the living quarters. We’re working to eliminate the Arnead threat, but in the meantime, we’re housing all of the affected families in a separate wing of the facility.” 

“I appreciate that, but I’m just going to spend all of my time up here anyway. I might as well just sleep here, too,” I replied.

“May I speak frankly, Director?”

“Of course.”

“We’ve spent months monitoring and tracking activity. Now, they know we’re onto them and they’ve effectively scattered. Locating and apprehending everyone involved is going to take time. I can have a team escort you to your home so you can pack what you need, but it’ll be a while before you’re able to return for good,” he said.

“Alright. Take me to the room,” I said, following him out after kissing Kelly’s cheek.

“There is some good news,” he said as we walked.

“I could sure use some.”

“After hours of questioning, we were finally able to get the data from all of the donation facilities affected. With that information, their whole plan has been effectively halted. It’s also how we’ve managed to locate and transport all of the families carrying Arnead children.”

I sighed in relief because, at least, nobody else would experience what Kelly and I had. Now, it was just a matter of making sure they weren’t able to regroup, since their numbers were still overwhelming despite kills and captures.

“And, speaking of the children…” I started, having a hard time asking. “Is my daughter safe?”

“Like I said, we have them on the ropes, but it’s far too dangerous to leave.”

“No. That’s not what I mean,” I said, pausing as two agents passed by. “Whatever Emma is, she’s my daughter first. What orders have you received regarding the Arnead/human hybrid children under the care of the DEO?” I asked as we arrived at what I assumed was my room.

Agent Clemmons sighed, closing the door behind us.

“As of right now, Agent Dox has only informed us to bring them here and make sure they’re comfortable. He said all other decisions regarding the children should be left to you once you were up and about,” he answered.

“Okay. I need to talk to J’onn, first. I’ve never dealt with a hybrid before and he would have the most information. Until then, just make sure they all have what they need, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll get J’onzz here,” he said, exiting the room.

I looked around at the place I’d be calling home for the foreseeable future. It was a pretty large room and almost everything from the tile to the bedding was white. The adjoining bathroom was very utilitarian and the whole place was like a studio apartment minus the kitchen. After visually assessing the place, I thought about what I needed to bring from home. I sat down on the bed, falling to my back and just staring up at the ceiling. Now, I’d have to be the one to tell all of these families. Which meant that I had to tell Kelly first. The time to put this off was coming to a close and I was more terrified than before. When there was a knock on the door fifteen minutes later, I opened it, immediately pulling J’onn into a hug.

“Are you okay?” I asked, clinging to him.

“I’m fine. Kara told me everything. I’m so sorry, Alex,” he said, still holding me.

I moved to sit on the bed and J’onn pulled a chair over to sit across from me.

“Things are basically under control now. But I need you to tell me everything you know about these hybrids. I have to have something to tell all those families so they can understand. So, they can know what to expect. So, _we_ can know what to expect,” I said.

“Unfortunately, there isn’t much. The only data we have is anecdotal from Arnead/human couples who also wanted to know what to expect. Arneads can shape-shift besides having superhuman strength and speed. However, only about half of the offspring develop any sort of abilities. What’s even stranger is that those who do end up with powers don’t have the same ones as their Arnead ancestors. We’ve seen anything from invisibility to laser vision.”

“Great, so my baby may or may not have random powers. And when will that become apparent?”

“Also, unclear,” he said, grimacing.

“Of course.”

“I’m sorry it’s not better news,” he replied.

“It’s fine. She’s healthy. She’s safe. That’s all I care about,” I said. “Ready to meet your granddaughter?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” he said, gripping my shoulder with one hand.

We walked up to the room and, before going inside, I checked to make sure Kelly was up for a visitor right now. J’onn greeted Kelly as soon as he got inside and I picked up Emma, placing her in his arms as soon as they were free.

“She’s beautiful,” he said, swaying back and forth slowly.

“Just like her mama,” I said, leaning down and kissing Kelly on the forehead, brushing some of her hair back with my hand.

She smiled and I could forget about everything for another couple of seconds. When J’onn left half an hour later, though, it was just us.

“Get into bed with me,” Kelly said, scooting over in the large bed.

“Careful. Don’t move so much,” I said, reaching out a hand.

“Just come here,” she said. 

I climbed on carefully, giving Emma to Kelly before doing so. Kelly was on her back and I got on my side facing them both.

“I’m going to tell them to lower my dosage for these pain meds. I looked over earlier and I could have sworn I saw Emma floating. It was weird,” she said, as I messed with the baby’s hair.

“Actually, you might’ve seen that,” I said, quickly.

Waiting for her to say something was excruciating. She turned her head to me and I met her eyes, letting her see that I was serious.

“How?” she asked, simply.

I took a deep breath and started from the beginning. She started crying when I got to the part about the donation facilities, but I kept talking until I’d gotten it all out. For a few seconds, she didn’t speak. It was a lot to take in, especially all at once like this.

“So, we’re going to have to spend the rest of our lives worrying that someone’s going to take her from us?” she asked.

“No. We’re working on getting things back to normal. It’s just gonna take some time. We’ll keep her safe, Kelly. No matter what,” I replied.


	16. Adjustments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone that's still reading and keeping me going. It makes me so happy to know that people enjoy my work. Please let me know what you think.

After five days, I was still having a hard time adjusting to the new living arrangement, especially without the warmth and comfort that I only got from holding Kelly close while I slept. As a result, I frequently ended up in the hospital bed next to her for naps, only able to manage the cramped twin bed for an hour or so.

“Everything alright?” I asked, noticing that the doctor was headed out the opposite door.

“Great, actually,” Kelly said. “I can finally get out of this bed for good.”

We’d taken a few very short and very slow walks through the halls the last few days, but she was anxious to be more active. I had to keep reminding her not to do too much because a full recovery was still weeks away.

“Well, that is awesome news. If you’re up for it, we can take Emma for a walk outside,” I suggested.

“That sounds nice. I just need to put some real clothes on,” she said, pulling away her blanket.

Despite knowing how resilient she was, I had a hard time watching her wince when she tried to steady herself on her feet. I rushed to her, supporting her with my hands on her sides.

“I can do it. It’s okay,” she said, pausing.

When I picked up Emma, I noticed that she was wide awake. Kelly said she’d been sleeping through the night so I was happy that, at least, they were both getting the rest they needed. We took slow steps to the elevator, my free arm around Kelly’s waist in case she needed it. Once we arrived at the room, Kelly started looking for something to change into, while I rocked Emma, talking to her.

“I bet you’re just as happy as your mama to be out of that room. Not that this one is any bigger. But at least we can all be together, now. Your Aunt Kara brought you some more toys and clothes and-”

I stopped talking, holding Emma still in my arms as I caught sight of a mostly naked Kelly a few feet away. I swallowed hard, not anticipating such a visceral response. She turned to me, hearing the interruption in my sentence.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, stepping into a pair of loose pants.

“What? Nothing. I mean, what do you mean?” I asked, failing at being nonchalant.

The idea of sex hadn’t even crossed my mind until this way too soon and inappropriate moment. I would have hidden it much better, if I hadn’t been so unprepared for it. 

“I think I should finish up in the bathroom,” she said, holding her shirt against her chest to cover herself.

“Hey, no. I’m sorry,” I said, gripping her forearm gently.

“I’m just… I’m not ready for you to look at me like that yet. Nothing feels even close to being back to normal. I… I don’t even know how long it’ll be before I even want to-”

“I know,” I interrupted. “I didn’t mean to make you feel... I just… You’re beautiful. And I just had a moment where I forgot about everything else. I know you’re healing and that isn’t even on your radar right now. You know I’d never pressure you. Seriously. I’m sorry.”

She relaxed somewhat, putting on her shirt and stepping closer to us.

“It’s weird hearing you apologize for wanting to have sex with me,” she replied, sighing.

“I’m not. I’m apologizing for making you feel uncomfortable,” I said, touching her cheek with my palm. “Sit down. I’ll help you with your shoes.”

She lowered gingerly to the mattress. I put Emma in her crib (with an adaptation to prevent her from floating away) and grabbed the pair of sneakers I’d picked up from the house on my brief trip there last week. Once I tied them, she stood up and the three of us were out the door. As soon as we got outside, Kelly tilted her face up toward the sky, closing her eyes and enjoying the sunlight on her skin for the first time in days. It made it impossible to ignore the nagging thought in my subconscious that she’d have felt it sooner if it hadn’t been for me. Not only did the constant threats cause her to constantly fear for my safety, but now those threats were affecting my family and I was the only one to blame for that.

“You’re quiet,” she said while we walked through the grass toward the quarter-mile track.

“Just enjoying this,” I said, switching Emma to my other arm so I could hold Kelly’s hand.

“You know I love you, right?” she asked, squeezing my hand so I’d look at her.

“I love you, too,” I said, bringing the back of her hand to my lips for a soft kiss.

“And you can talk to me about how you feel. About anything,” she said.

“How could I be anything other than happy? You’re getting stronger every day. Our girl is happy and healthy,” I replied.

I couldn’t tell her about the other things I’d been feeling. At least not now. She was going through enough of her own trials and I had to try my best to help her out with them. After five minutes of light walking, we turned around and walked back to the room. Kelly insisted that she could continue further along the track, but this had already been more than what I was comfortable with for this early on. From then on, I tried to fight against the urge to coddle her, but the slight relief I got from finally being in control of something made my overprotectiveness worse. Throughout the next several days, the DEO had made decent strides toward containing the threat, but in that time, my urge became a compulsion and I couldn’t stop despite the frustration Kelly barely held back. After two weeks of being stuck in close quarters together, it was finally too much for her.

“Alex, stop, okay? Please. Just stop,” she said when I was in the middle of lecturing her for doing a load of laundry.

I paused, feeling the impossible tightness in my shoulders, preparing for the pent-up frustration to burst from her. 

“Look, I love that you want to take care of me, okay? But you’re treating me like I can’t do anything for myself,” she said, voice strained from stress.

“You’re still healing,” I countered. 

“I know. You say that at least once a day. But I’m capable of a lot more than you’re letting me do. I’m just asking you to ease off a little.”

My defensiveness beat my reasoning in forming a response.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was suffocating you.” 

“I didn’t say that. Don’t put words in my mouth,” she said, holding her hand out in warning.

“Well, that’s what you mean, isn’t it?” I asked.

It was hard to believe she didn’t feel that way because I knew I’d been too much.

“No. If that was what I meant, I would have said it. Why are you trying to start a fight with me?”

“I’m not,” I defended.

“Alex… You are. Do you want me to give you an excuse to leave? Is that it? I know you’d rather be out there,” she said, causing me to pull back in shock.

That had been part of it. Taking care of Kelly had done very little to assuage my guilt and I thought actively fighting the Arneads would do more in that regard. I wanted to make sure they knew I’d never forget what they did to my family. 

“I don’t know why you’re saying that. I’ve been here every day since Emma was born. Maybe I do want to be out in the field. Is that wrong? Wanting to help make this go away so we can go back home?” 

“What’s wrong is that your savior complex takes priority over being with your family.”

“Savior complex…” I replied, all the hurt I felt injected into the repeated words.

I felt like I couldn’t breathe after that. I often wondered if she thought that of me. If she’d arrived at that diagnosis when I didn’t leave the DEO. Remaining there for years even after she told me how much it terrified her. I thought she’d understand me even if no one else could. And how could she think that they weren’t my priority? I think that was actually the deeper of the two cuts. I mean, I’d been here, but if she noticed my desire to be out there, I must not have been as present as I thought which meant I wasn’t being effective at making Kelly feel better or at helping to solve the Arnead problem. All I knew now was that I needed to think before I said anything else to her.

“Alex, I didn’t-” she began, trying to backtrack. 

“You know, I think just being on top of each other like this isn’t good for us. I’m just gonna give you some space, okay? Just, uh, call me if you need me for anything,” I said, turning around before she could see the first tear fall.

“Alex, come on. You don’t have…” I heard before her voice was too far away.

I walked to the track, lying down in the middle of the grassy field that it surrounded. As I let the frozen soil cool me, I realized for the first time that it was nearly mid-January. Christmas and New Years had passed without either of us even noticing. Valentine’s Day was just a few weeks away. I wanted so badly to clean up this whole mess and carry her, bridal style, back through the front door of our home by then. I hated that after everything else, she was basically trapped in a government facility with very little contact to the outside world. It was all so wrong and so far from what she deserved. I sniffled when my nose started to go numb at the tip, but I wasn’t ready to go inside yet. I wasn’t done feeling like shit for fighting with Kelly when all she wanted was to have some more independence.

I zipped my jacket and put my hands in the pockets, feeling calmed from watching my breaths float away into the blue sky. I heard shoes crunching against the stiff grass a few minutes later and I turned my head toward the source. Kelly stopped walking, easing down onto the ground slowly, face scrunched in pain, but I didn’t dare comment on it.

“Here you are,” she said, lying down next to me with our shoulders touching.

“Where’s Emma?” I asked.

“I asked Kara to come keep an eye on her. So, we could talk,” she explained. “You left the room hours ago.”

“I’m sorry about before.” 

“Come here,” she said, rolling toward me on her side. 

I copied her, but kept my eyes on the ground because I couldn’t stand to see what was in hers right now. 

“I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t believe that,” she said, starting to cry.

“Maybe you’re right, though,” I replied, shaking my head.

“No. You fiercely protect the people that you care about. That’s something I’ve always admired about you. You know it worries me sometimes, but I feel so safe when I’m with you. Like nothing can touch us. And I got scared because this did. It’s something we’re going to be dealing with long after the DEO takes control of everything,” she said.

When she said that last part, I was no longer able to hold it in. I tucked my head into her chest and just started sobbing, my whole body shaking in her embrace. I felt her hold around me tighten and this was how she made me feel safe. I got control of myself, slowly, and she pulled back.

“I’m worried about you,” she whispered, kissing my cheek, my tears wetting her lips.

I sat up, turning to face her. She lifted herself a little to rest back on her elbows.

“It’s… I feel… I feel so guilty. And I’m scared that it’s never gonna go away.” 

“What do you feel guilty about?” she asked, surprised. 

“This is all because of my work at the DEO. J’onn and Supergirl getting kidnapped. Emma almost getting kidnapped. You having to give birth to her at an abandoned train yard. It’s my fault. And I thought if I did everything I could to make things better, I would stop feeling this way, but… But I just made everything worse,” I replied, hot tears burning down my frozen cheeks. 

“How can you think that any of this is your fault?” she asked, sitting up fully now.

“How can I not? I’m the one that’s in charge. They targeted you because of me.” 

“Alex, even if you didn’t work for the DEO, this could have happened to us. I mean, anyone that’s gone to one of those facilities in the past year had a chance of this happening. What _you’re_ doing is making sure that this doesn’t happen to anyone else, you’re taking care of the families that have already been affected, and you’re reuniting the kidnapped children with their parents. You don’t have anything to feel guilty about, especially when it comes to me.”

“I just want to give you a normal life,” I said, shrugging one shoulder.

“If I cared about having a normal life, I wouldn’t be with you. I just want you. So, please, can we both just take a breath and move past this? I hate feeling this friction between us,” she asked, eyes pleading as much as her tone.

“Yeah. Of course,” I said, unwilling to deny her anything. 

“We’re gonna be okay. We just have to get into a new rhythm with each other, that’s all,” she said, her expression now relaxed and comforting. “Now, can you take me inside? It’s freezing.”

I smiled at her, standing so I could help her up. I turned to take a step, but her hand that was holding mine pulled me back to where she was still standing. Her other hand was warm against the back of my neck when she brought my lips toward hers. I felt the heat pour into me from the soft flesh and I didn’t want her to stop kissing me. Her tongue slipped between my lips and the intimacy of the moment made me realize that this was the first time we’d actually been alone together since Emma was born. There was so much we’d been denied throughout this whole ordeal that we hadn’t even been able to enjoy what we created together. I couldn’t breathe through my nose because of how much I’d been crying so I had to pull out of the kiss, panting heavily, filling the short distance between us with condensed breaths. 

“I’ve missed you,” she whispered.

“You, too,” I replied when I was done savoring her words.

We went back inside, both so exhausted that we fell easily into a restoring nap as soon as Kara left. Our bodies were curled together on top of the blankets, her thigh resting across my hips. About an hour later, the sound of Emma crying startled me awake, leaving me disoriented for a second before I squirmed out from under Kelly’s leg. I wandered over to her, shushing her as I bounced her in my arms. When I stretched the elastic of the back of her diaper, I confirmed the source of her displeasure. By now, I’d shaved a whole minute off of my diaper changing time and took a second to appreciate my handiwork. I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I sat with her in the chair by the bed just like I often did in the med bay, comforted by the deep rise and fall of Kelly’s chest. I liked it much better without all the wires and monitors. 

After our talk, things were noticeably more relaxed. We’d even mostly adjusted to the unpredictable moments when Emma would float around, giggling unapologetically. There was still the ever-present stress of the uncertainty, but that was manageable. A month and a half passed before I even received any significant news about the Arneads. Thanks to tireless questioning, a majority of the major players had been apprehended and the rest were falling dominoes. I’d been in the meeting for the past hour. Emma was with me because Kara was there in all her supersuited glory and insisted on holding her throughout. I hoped it would at least give Kelly some time to get in a quick nap.

“Looks like we’re going to get to go home soon, little Em. Let’s go tell your mama the good news,” I said once Kara handed her over.

“She’ll be so relieved,” Kara said as we followed the team out into the hallway.

“Yeah. Things are gonna be so much better once we get settled and we can start to let all of this fade into the background,” I said, sighing heavily.

“I’m so happy that this is coming to an end,” she replied. “Tell Kelly ‘hi’ for me, okay?”

“I will,” I said, before she headed back toward command central.

Walking down the hall with Emma tucked into my embrace, the taut muscles in my shoulders finally began to unknot. My only thought was seeing Kelly experience the same soothing, worry-free existence. When I got to the door, I opened it in a hurry, excited to share what I’d learned but before a single word could come out, I froze in the doorway. Kelly was on the bed, completely naked. It took a second to register what she was doing because as soon as I saw her, she removed her hand from between her legs and was already covering herself with a sheet while I used that time to try and remember how to close my mouth.

“Babe, I’m sorry,” I said, turning around to give her privacy. “Um, my meeting didn’t go as long as I thought so I just, uh, I have some good news, but… I’ll let you… I’ll come back.”

Before she could say anything, I slipped back out into the hallway, having opened the door only enough to get through. I rested my back flat against the wall next to our door, finally alone with my reactions to what I’d seen. My breathing was shallow already and a flush burned my cheeks and chest. When my legs felt less wobbly, I headed to an empty conference room, not wanting to take Emma outside without proper layers. I sat down in one of the rolling chairs, annoyed by the uncomfortable dampness in my underwear. Besides incredibly aroused, I didn’t know how I was supposed to feel about it. It wasn’t like I hadn’t been doing the same thing almost every day in the shower.

As my thoughts raced, there was a soft tug as Emma floated out of my embrace, and I quickly grabbed her again, finally shaken out of my trance. She laughed as I pulled her back down and when she drifted up again, I knew she thought it was a game and couldn’t help but be amused. It made me, instead, think about when I told Kelly about Emma’s Arnead roots. She was shocked, of course, like I was, but otherwise it made no difference to her. Either of us. Besides the unique challenges, there were also rewarding moments like our current playtime. It made things much easier when I remembered that there was no such thing as a normal family. And she had several power-endowed family members to help her though things when she started to understand her abilities.

That was years in the future, though, and I didn’t have to worry about that right now. In this exact moment, I didn’t have to worry about anything, so I held Emma against my chest when she gave up her escape attempts and she fell asleep with my soft, rhythmic pats against her back. I looked at my watch and hoped that the elapsed hour was enough time for Kelly’s alone time because I wanted Emma to finish her nap in her crib. I knocked softly on the door this time when I got back to the room.

“Come in,” Kelly responded.

I stepped inside, seeing that she was in sweats and a tee shirt, reading a book on the bed. She set it down and while I got Emma settled, Kelly sat up, resting her back against the headboard.

“You really need to stop running out without telling me where you’re going,” she said softly.

“Sorry. I was… thrown off,” I said, sitting on the chair so I was facing her.

I didn’t make eye contact, though, because I couldn’t stand the heavy awkwardness sitting in my chest. She pulled in a deep breath and, in my periphery, I saw her drop her head back on the exhale.

“It’s not that I don’t want to… With you,” she started.

“You don’t have to say anything. I told you I could wait as long as you needed to,” I replied.

“You’re not upset?” she asked, hesitantly.

“Why would you think I’d be upset?” I asked, confused.

She took a minute to search for the words, but came up empty so I picked up the slack.

“I get it, you know,” I said, pausing to make sure I worded things correctly. “It’s something I can’t help you with… Getting to know your own body again. Getting comfortable with how much things have changed before you feel like you’re ready to share yourself with me. I don’t want you to feel like you have to hide that.” 

“I guess I just didn’t want you to feel resentful that I said I wasn’t ready but then I-”

“Never,” I interrupted.

I got out of the chair, climbing onto the other side of the bed to sit next to her so I could hold her hand. 

“Look, I can’t tell you that I don’t think about it at least 56 times a day because that would just be a flat out lie, but now isn’t the time to lose our communication, okay? I want you to trust that I can handle whatever it is that you need from me no matter what it is. If you need some time alone, just tell me,” I said, squeezing her hand for emphasis.

“Okay,” she agreed, moving to lie down on her side.

“So, uh, can I ask how it was?” I asked, mirroring her.

She smiled, watching her own fingertip trace along my collarbone.

“It was, um… different. But I didn’t really… I mean, after you left I couldn’t really, you know, get back to where I was so I just… I was too worried about what you might be thinking,” she revealed.

“Well, now you don’t have to worry about that. And if you ever wanted me to… I could help you. Without expecting you to, you know… help me back,” I offered, wanting to make sure she knew it would be just about her.

She smiled, kissing me with a hand on the back of my neck. I let the ease of it push away the last bit of awkwardness and sighed heavily in contentment when she released me.

“By the way, I have good news,” I said, nearly forgetting. “The Arnead network has been irreparably affected by DEO intervention. They just need a few more days to wrap things up and we can finally go home.”

“Alex, that’s so great,” she said, rolling to lie on her back.

“No more cafeteria food,” I added.

“Probably the best part,” she replied, groaning at the thought of the bland food.

Two days later, Kelly’s anxious excitedness reached what had to have been its peak. The dissipating stress played a major role in that regard. Now that it was all winding down, we spent less time obsessing and more time just being. We were watching a movie together right before bed, Emma in her adapted playpen beside the love seat. I noticed that Kelly kept turning her head to look at me every few minutes so, the next time she did, I looked back at her. 

“Something on your mind?” I asked, smiling when she turned back to the TV.

Instead of answering, the scooted closer to me looking into my eyes, then quickly at my lips before leaning in. It was slow and I enjoyed the tickle of her breath on my waiting lips until they finally met hers. The movie continued to play in the background, only Emma paying any attention to it now. I thought Kelly was going to pull back, but she leaned in even closer, her tongue slipping not so innocently past my lips. She lowered her hand from where it had been resting on my shoulder, the heel of her palm brushing firmly over my nipple just before she started squeezing softly. My surprised gasp broke the kiss, but she pulled me back in. 

When she moaned into my lips I tensed, feeling the buzz of the vibration. She’d been more affectionate since the good news, but nothing this intense. There was a dull pinch on my bottom lip as she held it between her teeth for a second before sucking softly on it. My fingertips disappeared under the hem of her shirt, feeling the goosebumps form under the light touch. She leaned into the feeling, moaning into our kiss again and it sent a deep, warming wave rippling through me. I didn’t bring my hands any higher, wanting her to get used to my touch on her skin again before I attempted anything more. Kelly started to take my shirt off and I was more than willing to let her until Emma started crying behind me.

I pulled back, mind completely hazy like a spell was waring off. I worked to catch my breath while I got up to check on her. When I picked her up, I swayed with her, trying to calm her down. It was soothing me, too, and my heart was finally returning to a normal rhythm just before she fell asleep in my arms. She’d apparently just been cranky, needing to be put to bed for the night. I met Kelly back at the couch, knowing I’d let things get too out of hand.

“I should get in the shower,” I said, needing to release the warm tension.

“Or,” she said, getting up and stopping a few inches from me.

“Or?” I questioned.

“We can get into bed and… see how this goes,” she replied, nervously.

My knees almost buckled at the suggestion and I hoped she didn’t notice as I reached for the back of the love seat for support.

“After you,” I said. 

She walked toward the bed and I finally exhaled, my faux confidence leaving with the desperate breath. I followed her, sliding under the sheet next to her. 

“What do you want me to do?” I asked, voice shaking already.

She was lying on her back and I was on my side next to her, propping the upper half of my body up on my left elbow so I could look down at her. Right now, my eyes were focused on her lips when she licked them before responding.

“Go slow,” she whispered, lifting her head to brush my lips with hers.

I just kissed her for a long time, hesitating more than I ever had with her because I was afraid to hurt her or make her uncomfortable. She encouraged me, taking my right hand and guiding it under her shirt. I gripped her bare waist when she pulled my body closer to hers. The more excited I became, the harder it was to keep control of myself. 

“Can I take off your pants?” I asked, panting against her neck.

She nodded emphatically and I sat up on my knees, pulling them off easily when Kelly picked up her hips a few inches. When I was back against her warm body, she pulled me close again, wrapping the blanket around us. I gripped her thigh, feeling her arch up, pressing her chest against mine.

“Ow,” she whispered, backing off slightly.

“Are you okay?” I asked, holding still.

“Yeah. Just tender from breastfeeding,” she said, covering my lips with hers.

I relaxed again a few seconds into the kiss and I slipped my right hand between her legs, massaging her inner thigh.

“Do it. Touch me,” she breathed against my mouth.

I tested her sensitivity, starting with a gentle massage outside her underwear. She seemed to enjoy the feeling, rocking slightly against the touch. I kept the tempo slow, not moving forward until she was wet enough to seep through to my fingertips. She started breathing much faster when I pulled her underwear down from one side, then the other, until they rested at mid-thigh. With just my index finger, I teased through her wetness.

“Just don’t go inside,” she said, panting.

“I know. Don’t worry,” I said, bringing my finger up through the wetness to rub light circles.

“A little higher,” she said, eyebrows wrinkled in concentration.

“Right here?” I asked, eagerly listening for direction.

“Almost,” she replied, intertwining our fingers as she guided me there.

She pressed my fingers more firmly to the spot.

“Right there,” she moaned, retracting her hand. 

I was momentarily distracted by the dampness in my own underwear, and I fought to ignore it.

“Right there,” she repeated, starting to move her hips.

If there was ever a time I thought I could come without even touching myself, it was now. Her vulnerability excited me because I knew it meant she was letting go of all the worry that had been holding her back for weeks. I hoped I’d be able to get her all the way there because, I mean really, if anyone deserved it, it was Kelly. But even if it didn’t happen, it was already a huge deal that she was comfortable enough to do this with me. She was trying to be quiet, but the longer I kept my fingers moving, the less she was able to contain it. 

“Relax,” I whispered, seeing how much she was trying to focus. “Take a breath.”

With a shuddering breath in, she opened her eyes again, the lids still heavy. I slowed things down, dialing back the sense of urgency. I wanted her to take her time and not feel pressured to rush things. She was warm and soft against my fingertips and I could be here all night, stroking delicately, watching her enjoy that pleasure. 

“Harder,” she begged, opening her legs wider.

The waistband of her underwear dug into her thighs and kept her from opening them any further so I took a brief break from rubbing her to move them down past her knee on one side. This time, when I went back to what I’d been doing, she was much more receptive to the sensation. There was more room for the movement of my hand and I had an easier time keeping the pace she liked. 

“You’re so sexy, babe,” I whispered in her ear, feeling her start to tremble.

“That feels so good,” she said, kneading the fingers of her right hand into my back.

Her breath came out in gasps and I couldn’t help but speed up, knowing how close she was for the first time in a long time. She pressed her head back into the pillow, eyes shut tight. When she moaned again, it was deeper than the rest and I heard and felt her hand smack against the back of mine, holding me in place as she pushed her hips up against my fingers. She held her breath for seconds at a time, her body stiffening and relaxing in time with the interrupted airflow. Her bottom lip turned white where her teeth pressed into it, doing little to quiet her. I kept my fingers moving consistently until she pulled my hand away, sucking in full breaths.

When she closed her eyes, I let my head rest on the pillow next to her. I planted a soft kiss on her neck, tasting the salt of her sweat on my lips. Even though the throbbing between my legs was not any less prominent, I cuddled against her, enjoying her sated expression. I thought she might fall asleep, the steadier her breathing became, but she turned onto her side after a few minutes of rest and started kissing me again, definitely causing the throbbing to get worse. Without warning, her hand was in my pants and underwear, quickly approaching my embarrassing well of arousal.

“Whoa. Hold on,” I panted, holding her wrist.

“Don’t you want me to?” she asked, kissing my neck and dragging her tongue along it.

“Of course,” I replied, barely fighting against the hand wriggling in my grasp.

“Then move your hand,” she said, biting into my shoulder.

I gave in easily, releasing her. She was planting teasing kisses across my chest, but paused them suddenly when her fingertips dipped into me, feeling how easy it was.

“Oh my god,” she whispered, biting into another spot on my shoulder.

After that, she didn’t waste any time and I felt the full length of her fingers inside me before the pain of the bite began to subside. She wasn’t gentle and I was thankful for that, incapable of being teased right now.

“Fuck, babe. You’re so fucking good. Fuck.”

She kissed me, causing me to have to breathe through my nose, but I broke away when I felt myself about to free-fall over the edge. Kelly adjusted her wrist a little, able to reach further inside of me and with the firm curl of her fingertips, I felt myself squeeze around them. She moaned, feeling my spasms as I experienced a much deeper satisfaction than my solos against the shower wall. The sensation was drawn out even longer as she slowed down her thrusts, but didn’t stop them. 

“So worth the wait,” I said, as every last bit of tension funneled out of my body.

“I really missed doing that,” Kelly replied, laughing softly.

“Now I really _do_ need a shower,” I said.

“Wait, so you didn’t need one before when you put Emma down?” she asked.

“Oh. Uh… busted,” I replied timidly.

“I knew I heard you the other day,” she said mostly to herself.

“Be right back,” I said, disappearing from the intensity that look in her eye.


	17. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Kelly finally get to take Emma home. And Eliza finally gets to meet her granddaughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a while since I posted a chapter, but if you're still reading I hope you enjoy. Please leave kudos and/or comments so I can know what things you liked and what can be improved. I'm Darkwillow6 on Tumblr if you want to drop me a prompt. Enjoy!

It was weird being home for the first time in over two months, especially since the last time we were here, Kelly was still pregnant. I got Emma down for a nap before meeting Kelly in the bedroom where she was already unpacking.

“I’m gonna head out and grab some groceries. Do you want me to bring something home for dinner?” I asked, leaning in the doorway.

“Sushi. Please. Like so much sushi,” Kelly replied, smiling as she put away some shirts.

“I’m going to stop for our phones, too. I’ll try not to take too long,” I said, walking over to her for a kiss.

“Extra fried rice,” she said when we separated.

I stopped for the phones first, wanting Kelly’s to be set up and ready by the time I got home. Groceries were next. Being in a grocery store after all this time was weird, too. It was so mundane that it was comforting and I picked up a few necessities. To save time, I placed my sushi order as soon as I got in line to checkout, wanting to get back to Kelly as soon as possible. We’d spent practically every second together in lockdown and instead of craving this time to myself, I missed her. When I got home, I brought the sushi in first so Kelly could start unpacking it on the table. I caught sight of an adorable little butt wiggle as her excitement grew. I laughed to myself, taking two more trips for the groceries and phones.

“Here you are, madam. You have about sixty-three missed calls,” I said, handing her the phone.

“I’m pretty thankful for the cloud right now,” Kelly replied, scrolling through her messages.

I put away all of the perishables, leaving the rest for after dinner. I sat down next to her and she set her phone down, scooping fried rice onto her plate. She popped a piece of sushi into her mouth before grabbing more pieces from the mini buffet one at a time with her chopsticks and stacking them next to her rice.

“You’re not going to be able to eat all that,” I laughed, choosing my own sushi pieces.

“Watch me,” Kelly said, chewing her second piece already.

I did watch her for a little bit. I hadn’t seen her enjoy a meal so much in a long time. The house was quiet, but it was nice. After an impressive effort, Kelly still had four pieces left on her plate. I started cleaning up, putting the leftovers in the fridge. When I turned to walk back in to the dining area, Kelly was in front of me.

“Thank you for grabbing dinner, babe,” she said, kissing me.

“Yeah. Of course,” I replied, pressing my lips to hers again.

When Kelly leaned further into the kiss, I wrapped my hands around her waist, content that things were finally the way we’d pictured more or less. We had plenty of time right now, the kiss remaining slow and affectionate. She pinned me against the counter next to the fridge with just the pressure of her hips and I was getting lightheaded from how hard I had to breathe through my nose. She didn’t pull back until Emma started crying. 

“Sounds like she’s ready to eat,” Kelly said, while the fog in my brain started to clear.

Bringing her out from the nursery, Kelly sat down on the couch. 

“Can you hold her for a second?” she asked when I sat next to her.

I took her from Kelly and she pulled off her shirt, setting it beside her on the arm of the couch. Then, she grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch, readjusting it to partially cover herself when Emma was back against her chest. She latched on quickly, obviously displeased at having to wait so long for her meal.

“It feels weird having a phone again,” Kelly said, when it vibrated on the table. 

“A lot of stuff feels weird,” I agreed, playing with Emma’s soft hair.

“I’m just so happy to be home.”

“Me, too,” I said, snuggling closer to them and turning the TV on at low volume.

It only took about half of a Golden Girls episode for Emma to finish eating, and I took over from there with burping her because Kelly wanted to get into the shower. I walked Emma back and forth behind the couch and after all the excitement, her eyes closed again. I put her into her crib and changed the sheets in the bedroom since they hadn’t been slept on in a while. It was still pretty early, though, so I went back out to the living room and continued watching TV while I waited for Kelly. I turned to look at her when she came out of the bedroom, briefly looking back to the TV before doing an immediate double-take. She was wearing a black, very short nightgown. It was mostly satin except for the see-through mesh designs barely covering her breasts.

“Is that new?” I asked, not blinking as my eyes followed her path to the couch.

She sat down next to me, one leg curled underneath her.

“I got it a few months ago. I was saving it. To seduce you,” she said, straddling my lap.

“Consider me seduced,” I replied breathily, holding her by the hips.

She leaned forward, forcing me to recline into the backrest. This time when she kissed me, she didn’t start slow. It was like she was picking up where we’d left off in the kitchen earlier. I moved my hands so I could start pushing up the nightgown. My fingers drifted up a little at a time, ready to hook into her underwear. It quickly became apparent that she wasn’t wearing any and her hand gripped my hair as she kissed me harder. When I pushed the fabric up over her breasts, she put her arms up, allowing me to get it all the way off. I stood up, holding her against me, and carried her into the bedroom.

The end of the bed was perfect for what I had in mind so I set her down and kissed her, urging her onto her back at the same time. My feet were still on the floor so I held myself over her with my arms, kissing her neck and chest. Her hand fisted in my shirt and she struggled with it for a minute before delegating.

“Take this off. I want to see you,” she whispered.

I stood back up fully and threw it in the general direction of the hamper. She pulled me forward by my waistband and I had to catch myself on my palms so I wouldn’t fall on top of her. Her hand pressed into my stomach, kneading the muscle with her whole hand before she drifted unexpectedly into my jeans, teasing me with her fingers for a few seconds, taking pride in the fact that I’d lost focus. I pulled back, kissing between her breasts and down her stomach, lowering to my knees the further down her body I went. At first, my tongue just circled her unhurriedly, focusing on building her up before I dipped the tip inside her. 

I was holding onto her thighs because she was moving around so much on the bed that every so often, I’d have to slide her back down the bed toward me. This was the first time I’d gone down on her since the delivery, making us both highly motivated. She was struggling to stay quiet because the last thing either of us wanted right now was to be interrupted, but I could still hear some strained whines. Seeing how into it she was made it impossible not to touch myself. With my tongue still working between her legs, I released her hips long enough to unbutton and unzip my jeans. My left hand gripped back into her right thigh while my other hand was already inside my underwear. I moaned into her when I felt how wet I was.

“Oh god, babe, do that again,” she begged when I reached the full length of my tongue deep into her.

When I did, I felt her hand in my hair, applying slight pressure to the back of my head.

“Fuck. Yes, babe. Oh god,” she said, the last part strained as she came.

My tongue pushed through the tightening muscle, keeping her full while she continued to force her hips forward. With two fingers inside of myself, I copied the same speed as my thrusting tongue. Her sweet wetness dripping out of her and down my chin was the last thing I needed in order to come. The tightening around my fingers was nearly as nice as the tightening around my tongue as Kelly came a second time quickly after the first. It might have had something to do with the way I moaned deeply against her during my own orgasm. I got back to my feet when I caught my breath, taking my jeans off so I could be comfortable lying next to her.

“I’d almost forgotten how good you are at that,” she laughed tiredly.

“I’m happy to remind you any time,” I replied, kissing her.

“How about, for now, you just let me return the favor?” she asked, her hand squeezing between my legs.

I groaned at the firmness, still very sensitive, and pulled her hand away slowly by her wrist.

“Just, uh, need a few minutes,” I explained, setting her hand down on my hip.

She smiled, snuggling closer to me and the feel of her naked skin against mine was so soothing I could have fallen asleep if it wasn’t for Kelly, kissing my neck and making those minutes pass quickly. When her lips landed on mine, I started pushing in closer to her, trying to get her onto her back.

“Nope,” she chastised, topping me. 

I felt every sensation ten-fold because it had been so long since our bodies touched like this. Her hair tickled me when she kissed down my body, stopping for a long while at my breasts. I caught glimpses of her pink tongue slipping between her lips every now and then to taste my skin. When she finally ended up between my legs, she brushed her hair back over her shoulders. The first touch of her tongue was already causing me to move my hips, wanting more. I picked my head up to look at her, watching for a few seconds. When we made eye contact, I felt her push her tongue deep into me, a wrinkle between her eyebrows from the effort. It caused me to drop my head back to the pillow, but I still knew she was smiling smugly to herself.

One of her hands reached up, massaging my breast, and her ability to multitask never ceased to amaze me. She started flicking her tongue faster against me and I could hear her moaning between my legs. The fact that she was so enthusiastic was the best part and it was why I was already having to distract myself so I wouldn’t come too soon. Her tongue didn’t falter for a second and I struggled to stay quiet. I wanted to tell her how good it felt. How having her mouth on me this way made me forget everything but her name. But, if I opened my mouth, I wouldn’t be able to control the volume. I bit my lip harder because, apparently, she viewed my silence as a challenge. Which meant that it was only another two seconds before I was coming in her mouth.

“Oh, fuck. Fuck, Kelly. Mm.”

Just to make me shudder, she kissed softly at the still swollen lips when I calmed down. 

“You taste so good,” Kelly said, climbing back on top of me.

She looked down at me and the sweat on her flushed skin made me want to kiss her. 

“By the way, that nightgown was… You looked really fucking hot in it,” I said when we pulled apart.

“Oh yeah? Well, you didn’t leave it on me for very long,” she said, smiling.

“I’m impatient. What else is new?” I replied, laughing.

“It makes me feel good,” she said. “To know that I can still turn you on.”

“Every second,” I said, glad that she was still looking at me so she could see I was serious.

I made her breakfast the next morning. It was late morning because we tried, in vain, to get more sleep after Emma needed to be fed twice and changed once throughout the night. She stretched, coming out of the bedroom with a smile on her face despite her eyelids being half closed. She was on the phone and I could hear her half of the conversation, her voice still rough. The phone call was probably what woke her in the first place.

“Yeah. We just got back yesterday afternoon. I’m sure she planned to call you today,” Kelly said, walking into the kitchen and kissing my cheek. “Come whenever you want. I’m sure you’ve been dying to meet her.”

I figured it was probably James. Only Kara and J’onn had gotten to see Emma so far which meant everyone else was anxious for their turn. 

“This weekend would be fine,” she said, pausing. “Yes. Really. We could use the help, to be honest.”

I tried to focus on cooking, fluffing the scrambled eggs while she hovered nearby. 

“Okay. I’ll let Alex know. And I’ll have her call you later.”

As if I wasn’t already being nosey, the mention of my name had me further invested and I waited impatiently for her to hang up. 

“Who was that?” I asked as she set her phone down on the counter.

“Your mom. She wanted to see how I was doing. And she wants to come meet her grandchild,” Kelly answered, wrapping her arms around my waist from behind.

I turned off the stove, plating the eggs while still in her hold.

“Told you she likes you better than me,” I joked, turning in her arms with a plate in each hand.

She didn’t let go, until I gave her the kiss that she was silently demanding. Kelly grabbed two forks, following behind me as I set the plates on the table.

“She’ll be here Friday night until Monday morning. And you might want to think of a good reason for not calling her when we got home yesterday because she didn’t seem too happy about that,” Kelly said as we both started poking at our eggs.

“Great. And it’s not like I can tell her the real reason,” I said, taking a bite.

“Which is,” Kelly urged.

I sighed, sitting back in my chair.

“We just got back. Once I see her, I’m going to have to tell her everything. And it’s not that I don’t want her to know. I just really want to forget about all that, you know? Live our lives again.”

“We’ll be able to go back to living our lives… But we’re not going to be able to forget about this. I mean, unfortunately, it’s Emma’s birth story. The good thing, though, is that it isn’t always going to feel this scary. Eventually, it’ll just be this amazing story about the badass that delivered her own child and saved countless families.”

“You think I’m a badass?” I asked, feeling the heat in my cheeks at the accolade.

“Oh, yeah. Definitely,” she said, nodding and squeezing my thigh for emphasis.

I enjoyed the feeling of pride that built up even more with that look in her eye.

A few days later, my mother finally arrived after a long day of driving. As soon as she stepped inside, she abandoned her luggage by the door and pulled me into a tight hug. Emma was in Kelly’s arms so my mom kissed her on the cheek before turning her attention to the new face.

“Here. Let me take your coat so you can hold her,” I said to my mom.

Without taking her eyes off of Emma, she let me help her out of it. Kelly carefully handed her to her grandmother and it was easily one of the top ten moments in my life so far.

“She’s gorgeous,” she said, rocking her gently. 

“Do you want to come into the living room so you can sit?” Kelly asked.

“Sure,” she replied, following her there.

“I’ll put your bag in your room, mom,” I said, barely on her radar right now.

“Oh. Thank you, honey,” she said, adjusting Emma’s hat. “Has she been eating well?”

“Oh, yeah. You don’t have to worry about that,” Kelly said, sounding exhausted at the thought.

They continued talking while I carried the bag to the guest bedroom, setting it on top of the bed. When I went back to the living room, I sat down on the chair that was caddy corner to the couch where Kelly and mom were still in Emmaland. It was pretty adorable. I just sat, listening to them talk. It made me think again about what Kelly had said the other day. About things getting less scary. Moments like this made me believe that even though my conversation with her was still waiting in the wings. When Emma decided it was time to eat, Kelly excused herself to take her into the nursery, closing the door behind her.

“See? No trouble getting her to eat,” I said, when we were alone.

“So, what time did you get in yesterday?” she asked, pointedly.

“Uh, around two or three, I guess. I should’ve called. I know,” I said.

“Look, I know you’ve both been through a lot. You don’t have to talk about all that if you’re not ready. I understand,” she said, moving closer to rub my forearm comfortingly.

“I’d rather just get it out of the way,” I said, getting up and going into the kitchen. “I’m gonna get us some wine.”

I handed her a full glass and sat down next to her with my own.

“I think I’m just gonna do the cliffnotes version, if that’s okay,” I said, taking a sip.

“Okay,” she said, encouragingly.

“There was this group of aliens, Arneads, and they basically ran a widespread operation of substituting… uh… genetic material at several donation centers. One of them was the one Kelly and I used to have Emma. Anyway, a week before she was supposed to go into labor, they chased us because I noticed they were following. I didn’t know why at the time. Anyway, Kelly and I ended up having to deliver Emma in an abandoned warehouse before driving her to the black site. So, everything’s under control now, but… Emma’s half Arnead,” I explained.

“Wow,” she replied, a few tears falling down her cheeks. “That’s… I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

Kelly came out of the nursery, then, closing the door softly behind her. She saw the look on my mother’s face and offered a sympathetic expression, sitting back down next to her.

“We’re good, though,” Kelly added.

“That little girl is so lucky to have you both,” mom said, now causing Kelly to tear up.

“The important thing is that we’re all here and we’re all healthy. It’s best case scenario after everything,” I said, already feeling much better after telling her.

“You should know that she floats, though. I mean, I know it’s nothing new for you, having raised Kara but, I don’t know, it’s a little freaky when a baby does it,” Kelly said, lightening the mood.

“I appreciate the warning,” my mom replied, laughing at the idea.

“So, let’s talk about dinner,” I said, dying to change the subject.


	18. Fireworks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the most fun I've had writing a chapter since the car chase. Please tell me what you think of it. I highly value all feedback and hope you all have a great time reading. I am SmutEmpress on Tumblr if you want to hit me up with prompts or questions!

FOUR MONTHS LATER:

“You’re going tomorrow, right?” I asked Kara.

We were having one of our sisters only breakfasts, and I’d already confirmed with her but wanted to make sure nothing had changed.

“For the eighth time, yes. What’s with you? You’re being weird.”

“Nothing. Just… it’s Emma’s first trip to Midvale and the first, like, family weekend thing with her, you know? It’s important to me that you’re there,” I replied, sipping my coffee.

“Aw, Alex,” she said, her palm flat over her heart.

“Okay. No need to make a big deal about it,” I teased.

“So, are you guys nervous about driving that far with her?”

“Nervous and pre-exhausted. Kelly made a four-page packing checklist that she compiled from multiple lists she found online.”

“She’s thorough. You know that,” Kara replied, laughing.

“She’s great at this,” I said, admiring it more than complaining about it.

“Yeah. She is,” she agreed. “So are you.”

When I got back home, Kelly was in the nursery feeding Emma. She was rocking the chair almost imperceptibly and humming quietly. She smiled when she noticed me at the door and I walked over to her, kissing Kelly on the lips and Emma on the forehead.

“How was breakfast?” she asked, voice low and soft.

“It was good,” I replied. “Speaking of breakfast, you must be glad she’s starting to switch over to solid foods.”

“The bonding is nice, but yes, I’m ready to be done,” she said, leaning back into the headrest.

“Is there anything left on your list for the trip that you need me to do?” I asked.

“No. I think we’re good to go. I got everything in the car already.”

After Emma finished eating, we went into the living room. I was holding her now, turning on the TV while Kelly went to the fridge for some water.

“You know what? I forgot to pack the little square for your phone charger. It’s in the drawer of your bedside table, right?” she asked, heading that way. 

I took a few steps away from the couch to block her path.

“It’s fine, babe. I’ll get it later,” I said, trying so hard to be nonchalant.

“You always say that. And then you have to use mine because, surprise, you forgot,” she said, definitely making a good point. 

“Speaking of surprises, it’s your turn on diaper duty,” I replied, handing Emma over. “Don’t worry. I’ll get the charger while you’re doing that.”

She looked like she was going to object, but thankfully she just took Emma and went back into the nursery, setting her on the changing table. I hurried into the bedroom, getting what I needed and ended up face to face with Kelly in the hall.

“She was clean,” she said, walking to the living room and setting Emma in the playpen.

She’d been starting to crawl, which I was happy about because I worried that Emma’s floating would compromise her desire to learn to walk.

“Oh. Must have been gas,” I shrugged, the charger in my hand.

“Why don’t you want me to go into your drawer?” Kelly asked, crossing her arms.

“I don’t care if you go in my drawer,” I scoffed.

She eyed me suspiciously, but didn’t press the issue and I tried to keep my breath of relief inaudible as she turned and went to sit on the couch. I sat next to her and she didn’t move away, but she didn’t lean into me like she usually did either. I just hoped this weekend would come quickly because, as had always been true, I was terrible at deception when it wasn’t a case of national security.

Way too early the next morning, I was strapping Emma into her car seat while Kelly got in. Several parenting websites suggested traveling at a time when she’d sleep. I knew I’d appreciate the few hours of silence so I just made our morning coffee a little stronger and hit the road. Kelly closed her eyes for a while so I allowed myself to get lost in thought. The prevailing one was how nice this felt. It was a trip I’d taken many times but, with our baby in tow, it was different. Emma was going to see a lot of exciting places from the back seat and that realization was one of those moments I was going to think about a lot more times after this.

Since I started the drive with a full tank, we didn’t have to stop for gas on the way. Kelly woke up after an hour and checked on Emma who was still fast asleep. She stretched, ending with her hand on my lap and turned to look out the window. The sun was barely coming up and since we didn’t always see so much greenery in National City, she took some time to appreciate it.

“Have a good nap?” I asked.

“This neck pillow is a lifesaver,” she said, setting it on the empty side of the back seat.

“You still mad at me?” I asked, tentatively.

“I wasn’t mad at you, Alex,” she started, sighing. “You’re entitled to your privacy. It just feels like you’re not yourself lately.”

She seemed like she wanted to say more, but didn’t have the right words ready yet.

“Just a lot on my mind. I’m sorry. I’m not gonna let it get in the way anymore, okay? I promise.”

“We could talk about it,” she offered, squeezing my thigh where her hand still rested.

“Sure. Later,” I replied, nodding.

I felt like a failure because I’d been trying so hard to act normal around her for the past month. Apparently, I thought I was doing a much better job than I really was. After that, I changed the subject so that the rest of the drive wouldn’t be tense. Two more hours passed before we finally pulled into the dirt driveway at my mother’s house. She ran out, meeting us at the car almost as soon as I had it in park. I got out, getting a tight hug from her before I could even stretch out my stiff muscles. She rushed around to the other side, telling us how happy she was that we could make it, and hugged Kelly before opening the rear passenger door.

“Aaaaaand, now we’re invisible,” I said to Kelly as soon as mom had Emma out of the car seat.

She headed back toward the house without even a glance back at us and I just shook my head, amused by her intense grandmothering, before getting our bags from the trunk. Kelly carried Emma’s luggage and we went into the house to find my mother. 

“Kara’s in the attic. I asked her to bring your old crib down to your room,” she said, not taking her eyes off of Emma.

“Not that she can sleep there if we never get her back,” I mumbled under my breath, heading upstairs with Kelly behind me.

When I made it up to the bedroom, Kara was already inside putting the bolts into place on the crib. She looked up when she saw us, a huge smile on her face that faded very obviously when she saw we were short one niece. 

“Mom has her,” I answered before the first word made it past her lips.

“Of course. That’s why she asked me to get this from the attic,” she said, shaking her head.

“Also, you’re the only one that can carry it down by yourself,” I reminded her.

“Sneaky, Eliza. Very sneaky,” she said to herself, crossing her arms.

“Anyway, sorry in advance if she keeps you up tonight. She usually sleeps pretty good, but this is her first night sleeping somewhere else since we got her home.”

“Please. Like I’m going to complain about a sleepover with my niece. Now, if you’ll excuse me, the crib is assembled and I believe it’s my turn to hold her,” she said, practically running down the stairs.

“They’re distracted. Wanna fool around?” I asked Kelly when we were alone.

“Alex,” Kelly gasped, scandalized.

“What? Wouldn’t be the first time,” I said, softly pinning her against my old dresser with my hips. “Come on. They’ll be taking selfies for at least twenty minutes.”

I started kissing her neck because it was often the fastest way to get her to give in. She whined and sighed at the same time, clearly conflicted.

“For- for a minute,” she said, breathing already picking up.

Having acquired her permission, I kissed her lips this time, working my hands up her thighs to her hips. I leaned into her too much and the dresser shifted, causing a few things to topple over. I couldn’t have been less concerned about it, though, because Kelly still hadn’t broken the kiss and I certainly wasn’t going to. The bedroom door was completely open so for that reason, and some others, I knew we couldn’t get too carried away right now. My right hand went under her shirt and gripped her waist, but as soon as my skin touched hers, she pushed me back with one hand, panting.

“Let’s get downstairs before they think we’re doing… what we’re doing,” she said, adjusting her shirt.

I smirked at her, cleaning some smudged lipstick from her lip with my thumb.

“Come here,” Kelly added, walking over to the duffel bag that was sitting on my bed.

She pulled out one of her makeup wipes.

“What are you doing?” I asked as she reached out to my face with it.

“I got lipstick all over you,” she said, laughing but wiping my face diligently. 

When she pulled back, I noticed how reddish-pink the cloth was now.

“Thank you,” I said, leaning in to kiss her.

She gave me a soft peck on the lips so she wouldn’t get more of it on me. We found mom and Kara in the kitchen when we went downstairs. Kara was making faces at Emma, completely enthralled by her laughter. Mom was making pancakes, eggs, and bacon. The coffee was the most attractive scent, though, and I headed straight for the cabinet where she kept the mugs.

“Do you want me to make you a pot of decaf, Kelly?” my mom asked, flipping a pancake.

“No, thank you. I’m fine with regular. I just need to feed Emma first,” she said.

Kara pouted, reluctantly handing over the infant. 

“I’ll be upstairs,” she said, kissing me on the cheek.

I watched her leave because even after all these months, there was something about her carrying our baby in her arms that made me feel warm and tingly. It was a feeling I loved to get lost in. When I lost sight of her, I started pouring cream and sugar into my coffee, but felt watched. I looked up to see my mother and sister looking at me.

“What?” I asked, self-consciously.

“Nothing. It’s just great to see you so happy. You finally have what you’ve always wanted. A baby with someone who wants a family just as much as you do,” mom explained, Kara nodding in agreement.

“It still doesn’t feel real sometimes,” I said, on the verge of happy tears. “But I’m glad we got away from the city and we can just focus on our family right now. I always look forward to your Fourth of July barbecue, mom.”

“And it’s Emma’s first one,” Kara said, echoing what we talked about yesterday. “So, it’s even more special.”

As my mom set the last of the bacon on the serving plate, I heard Kelly coming back down the stairs. I started preparing her coffee while she handed Emma off to my eager sibling.

“Thanks,” she said, smiling as I passed her the mug.

I helped my mom bring the plates over to the table and then we all sat down.

“I can take her so you can eat, Kara,” I said, holding out my arms for her.

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” she laughed, picking up her fork with the hand that wasn’t supporting Emma.

“Has she started eating solids, yet?” my mom asked, taking a bite of bacon.

“Yeah. A little here and there. We haven’t tried egg, though. You can try to give her some of yours if you want, Kara,” Kelly replied, seeing that Kara’s were scrambled.

“She’s gotten so big since the last time I saw her,” mom hinted.

“We’re gonna visit more now that we’re getting her used to traveling. Don’t worry,” I replied.

Emma took the small piece of egg that Kara offered her, chewing for a second before making a face.

“Well, looks like she’s not a fan,” Kara commented.

“Great. Just like her mom,” I teased, nudging Kelly lightly.

Later, after lunch, Kelly and I were taking a walk around the property. I held her hand, walking until we were almost a quarter mile from the house.

“I hope the fireworks are far enough away tomorrow night. I don’t want Emma to get scared,” she said as we got to the edge of the property.

“It’s miles away. You can barely hear it. The only reason you can see it is because of how flat and open it is out here. It’ll be perfect. You remember,” I assured her.

She’d been to more than one of these celebrations already, so I knew she was just hesitant because of Emma.

“Do you like this better than the city?” she asked in a neutral tone.

“It has its pros and cons. Why? Were you thinking about moving?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I like this. I like how peaceful it is. I like how you are when we’re here. So, relaxed and open. You grew up here. Emma could, too,” she suggested.

“But, we already bought a house in National City,” I countered.

“It’s just a house,” she replied, shrugging a shoulder. “You, and me, and Emma… that’s home.”

“Would you be happy here?”

“I think I’d love it here,” she nodded.

“Okay. We can talk about that more when we get home. Look at our options,” I agreed.

“Okay,” she replied, squeezing my hand softly as we kept walking. “I love you.”

“I love you more,” I replied, kissing the back of her hand.

That night, when we were getting ready for bed, I took the spot closest to the wall since Kelly usually had to get up at least once in the middle of the night. I pulled the sheet up over our shoulders and once Kara was in her bed, I turned off the lamp on the bedside table.

“No funny business,” Kara said into the dark silence.

“Because this is such a romantic setting,” I shot back sarcastically.

“You’re really gonna lay there and tell me that you and Kelly haven’t had sex in that bed?” she countered immediately.

“Go to sleep,” I replied in non-answer.

She scoffed, rolling onto her side so that her back was to us.

“You could have denied it,” Kelly said softly, snuggling into my chest.

“I thought you were against lying,” I replied just as quietly.

She shook her head and I could see the smile on her face with all the moonlight pouring in around us. She bit her lip to hide a laugh, and I kissed her on the forehead, closing my eyes contentedly. With minimal interruption during the night, we made it to morning. Kelly moved out of my hold on her waist to go to the bathroom. I took the opportunity to stretch out on the bed, ready to get up already. I was still tired, but the bed was too cramped and I’d rather be drinking coffee right now. 

“Were you gonna go back to sleep?” I asked Kelly when I met her out in the hall.

“No. It’s almost time to feed Emma so I might as well just stay up,” she replied.

“Okay. I’m gonna make some coffee. I’ll see you downstairs,” I said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. 

After a visit to the bathroom to brush my teeth, I was in the kitchen putting grounds into the filter. I grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and took it out to the porch swing and by the time I came back inside, the coffee was nearly done. 

“Are we sitting outside?” Kelly asked, nodding toward the open door.

“It’s a nice morning. Thought you might want to. And that porch swing is the next best thing to a rocking chair,” I said, holding both mugs.

When we got to the porch, I set one mug on each of the small tables on either side of the seat. Then, I held the swing still so Kelly could sit. Right away, she lifted her shirt, draping the blanket over her and Emma. I sat next to her, swinging gently. I had one arm along the backrest behind her shoulders and it was the perfect start to today. Being here like this made things clearer. I turned my head to look at her and when she noticed, she kissed me. It was soft, but needy and I almost forgot that she was breastfeeding simultaneously.

“Here you guys are… Oh. Sorry,” Kara said, startling us.

My lips separated from Kelly’s with a pop and I just hoped I wasn’t too flushed.

“Thought for sure you’d sleep in. I can never get you to meet for breakfast this early.”

“Yeah, well, you know I look forward to these burgers all year,” she said, already excited.

“Mom isn’t even going to start the grill for like another six hours,” I replied.

“Well, there’s also my niece, obviously,” she said, gesturing toward the baby.

“You can hold her when she’s done eating,” Kelly said.

When Kelly handed her to Kara a few minutes later, she headed upstairs to take a shower and Kara took her seat. 

“Do you miss being here?” she asked out of nowhere.

“It’s funny. Kelly kind of asked me the same thing yesterday. And, yeah, a lot of times I do.”

“Me, too. But I like the city better,” she replied, letting Emma squeeze her finger.

“No super strength, luckily,” I told her.

“Not yet,” she sing-songed.

“Don’t say that. The last thing I need is to replace all of my furniture when the terrible twos hit,” I said, hoping to have a break from surprises for a long while.

We all spent a majority of the next few hours just relaxing and enjoying each other’s company until it was time to prep the food. My mom formed the patties while Kara cut vegetables. With my limited cooking skills, I was tasked with putting the chips into bowls so we could snack while the burgers cooked. When mom went outside to start the grill, Kara danced in excitement, putting the burger toppings onto a large plate. Kelly and I shared an amused look. Since nobody could be trusted to cook besides my mother, the rest of us set the picnic table outside. Kara had four burgers for herself and I was glad Kelly knew she was Supergirl because it would probably be pretty difficult to explain otherwise.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Kelly asked quietly when she noticed I’d only taken a few bites of my burger.

“I’m good,” I replied, picking at the pile of chips I put on my plate.

The truth was, my stomach was going crazy. The fireworks would be happening as soon as it got dark, and the anticipation continued building until then.

“You want a beer, babe?” I asked her when the sun was halfway down.

“Sure.”

I went back inside, coming out with one for each of us. I hoped it would help calm me down a little. 

“What’s up? You’re not cold, are you?” she asked hours later when we were all sitting on the back porch. 

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You’re shaking,” she said, looking concerned.

Luckily, that was exactly when the fireworks started. The distant pops distracted her and I felt relieved. Kelly was holding Emma again, and she got up from the seat next to me, going to stand at the railing. It was dark now, but when the brilliant lights flashed, I could see her face. I watched that more than the show in front of us and I knew this was it. The right moment. 

“Kelly,” I said, getting her attention.

She turned to look at me, bouncing Emma in her arms. When I didn’t say anything, she raised an eyebrow questioningly. I swallowed hard, getting down on my right knee. I was vaguely aware of the sound of mom and Kara’s gasps behind me and it was a happy reminder that they were here to experience this moment with me. I saw the reflection of the fireworks more clearly now with how wet her cheeks already were. She couldn’t wipe them away because she was holding Emma and I had her other hand in mine.

“I should’ve done this a long time ago. You’ve changed my whole life for the better, Kelly. And you gave me things I started to think I could never have. There is not one single doubt in my mind that you’re the one I’m supposed to be with. I just… I really, really, really want to marry you,” I said, pulling the ring out of my pocket.

I tried not to start rambling nervously at the first sign of stunned silence.

“I want to marry you, too,” she said, nodding and sniffling.

I put the ring on her finger, practically jumping to my feet to kiss her. My mom and sister started clapping and cheering behind us, and we ended up in a group hug seconds later with them congratulating us. I wiped the tears from her face while kissing her again. 

“We’ll give you two some time alone,” my mother said, about to walk back inside.

“What if, instead, Alex and I go for a walk so you guys can stay here. I know Kara wanted to make s’mores,” Kelly said.

“Okay, then. Give me my granddaughter,” she said, gathering Emma into her arms.

“Have a good walk,” Kara called, as we walked across the back yard.

“Let’s go this way,” Kelly said, pulling me toward the side of the house.

She looked over to make sure they weren’t paying any attention to us before moving behind it. The moon was the only source of light now and I continued following her until we were around the front of the house. I could faintly hear Kara and my mom baby talking to Emma. Kelly backed up so that her back was against the siding, pulling me against her. I kissed her and, without an audience, it got much more heated. I pushed my body into hers even more, mentally acknowledging the fact that I was getting carried away when I lifted one of her thighs to rest on my hip.

“Let’s go upstairs,” she rushed out before rejoining our lips. 

“We can’t,” I said, unwilling to stop kissing her as we continued our conversation that way.

“Did you really think you’d propose and not get laid?” she whispered.

“We’re gonna get caught,” I replied, using my last and only argument.

“They’re busy. Come on. We don’t have a lot of time,” she said, guiding my hand down her pants. 

“Holy shit,” I said, completely taken by surprise. 

Since she was already so wet, I didn’t even think before I had two fingers inside of her.

“Inside,” Kelly insisted. 

I took my hand out of her pants and we quietly slipped into the house through the front door. All of the lights were off inside and we couldn’t turn them on because they’d be able to see it from outside. We stumbled into the room, laughing and shushing each other. She got onto the bed and I felt my way across the mattress, eventually getting on top of her. I pulled her pants halfway down and threw the sheet over us just in case. The door didn’t lock which made this much riskier. I felt my way down her body and back inside her because every second that passed held a higher likelihood that we’d be walked in on. 

“I’m so happy you said ‘yes’,” I whispered, continuing to slide in and out of her.

“Of course I did, babe. Of course,” she said, pulling my face back to hers.

I started moving faster between her legs, enjoying the sincerity of her response. Her heavy breathing in my ear made me wetter and, for some reason, having sex with her in my old bedroom just made it the ideal situation for our first time post-engagement. I just wished I could draw it out like I wanted to instead of rushing through it like a mischievous teenager. When she started moaning too loud, I kissed her so that it wouldn’t draw attention to us. She pushed her hips up when she came and she was dripping onto the sheets. While my fingers were inside her, she rolled us so that she was on top of me. When she picked up her hips a little, I brought my hand out from between us.

For expediency, she didn’t even bother to unbutton my pants, shoving her hand down into them. She only teased me for a couple of seconds before entering me. Instead of going deep or fast, she focused on curling her fingers at just the right angle. With very little movement, I was already right there.

“Do you like having sex with me in your old bedroom?” she asked, voice shuddering slightly.

“Feels like I’m getting away with something,” I replied as she started kissing my neck. “You’re the only person I’ve ever done anything like this with in here.”

“Seriously? Nobody else?” she asked.

I knew who she was secretly asking about, but we really hadn’t.

“Nobody,” I confirmed.

Looking pleased with that response, she regained focus on her rhythm and after just another minute, I was coming, feeling her fingers slip out a little with the pressure. She straightened out her fingers and I felt them press back against my squeezing muscles. She didn’t withdraw them until I relaxed, panting and sweaty on the bed.

“I’m gonna go get cleaned up,” she said, kissing me on the cheek and rushing to the bathroom across the hall. 

I didn’t move for a minute, just prolonging my replay of what had just happened. This was just one of many reasons she was perfect for me. I never would have expected her to do what she just did… but she did. And it was fucking hot. When I’d bathed in my own smugness for long enough, I came out of the bedroom at the same time that Kelly came out of the bathroom. 

“Meet you on the back porch?” I asked, passing her to go into the bathroom.

She grabbed me by my waist before I could get by and kissed me one last time… for several seconds.

“Okay,” she replied, pulling back.

As soon as I closed the door, I heard voices from the direction of the stairway. I was about to wash my hands, but listened to what was happening.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you,” Kelly said.

“No, I just thought you and Alex were still out walking,” my mom replied.

Great. My mom.

“Oh, yeah. We just came in to get some water,” Kelly replied, nervously.

“From upstairs?” my mother countered.

“Yeah, well, you know… I just… I had to come up and get something and Alex had to go to the bathroom so… Um, but we were on our way back outside, now.”

“Oh, good. I just came up to change. My shirt is all smoky from the grill. See you down there,” she replied.

I heard her walk in the direction of her room and as close of a call as it was, I still had extreme difficulty holding back my laughter as I heard Kelly fumble for an excuse. I finished up, getting to the porch before my mother and getting a look from Kelly. I bit my lip, trying to hold back a smirk.

“You heard that, didn’t you?” Kelly asked, shaking her head.

“Heard what?” Kara asked, finally looking up from where she was playing with Emma.

“Nothing,” Kelly said, smacking my arm when I forgot to hold back the laugh this time. “I should go feed her.”

Kara handed Emma over to her mother and Kelly went back inside, giving me a look on the way.

“What’s she talking about?” Kara asked.

“No idea,” I said, probably not very convincingly.

“Fine. Don’t tell me. It’s not like you told me you were going to propose. Now I get why you kept nagging me to come.”

“Well, the reasons I gave you when you asked are also true. Besides, I didn’t want to ruin the surprise.”

“The only surprise is that it took you so long.”

“Please. You were shocked.”

“Fine. I was shocked. I’m glad you finally did it.”

“Me, too.”

“So, you’re really not gonna tell me?” she asked after a pause, putting on her best pout.

“Fine. But you better swear you won’t tell Kelly I told you.”

“I swear,” she said, turning her body dramatically to face me.

“Mom almost caught us having sex,” I said quietly.

“What?! I thought you were out walking!” Kara replied, gasping.

“Yeah. We did. We walked from the back porch to the front door. Then upstairs,” I replied.

“I cannot believe you,” she said, swatting at me.

“Wasn’t my idea. And I wasn’t gonna say no,” I shrugged. “Anyway, I overheard mom in the hallway giving her the third degree. I thought I was going to die trying not to laugh.”

“Oh, no. That must have been so awkward for her.”

“At least she’s good at thinking on her feet. If it was me… I don’t even want to think about that.”

“Now, that I would have paid money to see,” she replied. “Wait, so did she believe Kelly?”

“I don’t know. She seemed convincing to me,” I said. “Okay. Mom’s coming. Never speak of this again. Remember, you swore.”

“I know. I know. Calm down,” she told me. 

As soon as mom came outside, she looked at me then we both looked away from each other at the same time and I realized it was probably just as good as a verbal confirmation. If there was any doubt, Kara burst into laughter at our silent interaction and my face turned red immediately. I was just glad that Kelly was upstairs with Emma right now. 

“Hey, mom,” I said, trying to pretend that if we didn’t say it out loud, it meant we could ignore it.


	19. Celebration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the latest chapter. This story still has quite a few to go. I'm SmutEmpress on Tumblr if you have any prompts you'd like me to work on. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. It's mostly fluff, but there is definitely a sex scene.

“Got the cake,” I said, fumbling my way through the front door and setting my keys down.

I kicked the door shut and carried the large box into the kitchen.

“Oh, let me see! Did it come out okay?” Kelly asked, rushing over.

“Yeah. It looks really good,” I replied as she lifted the lid.

It was a chocolate sheet cake with a photo of the three of us printed on top of the buttercream icing. The picture was taken during our first trip to the pool in July. Above the image, the words ‘Happy 1st Birthday, Emma!’ were piped on in orange frosting.

“Are you crying?” I asked, looking over when I heard her sniffle.

“I just can’t believe it’s been a year already,” she said, closing the box.

I brought her closer, holding her around the waist.

“And you’ve been an incredible mom through all of it,” I said, kissing her softly. “I’m so, so lucky to have a kid with you.”

“You really feel that way?” she asked, quietly.

“Oh, yeah. And then some. In fact…” I began, pausing to kiss her. “I’d love the opportunity to show you my appreciation.”

Her pulse was strong against my lips when I landed a lingering kiss on her neck. I continued with short pecks down toward her chest. She hummed softly and I thought I had a good chance considering Emma was down for a nap right now. I returned my kisses to her lips and gripped her tighter around the waist. It had been a while since our last impulsive make out session and it was something we both really needed right now amidst all the stress of party planning. Several uninterrupted minutes passed before Kelly stopped us.

“We still have a lot to get ready,” she panted.

“Fine. Back to work. But tonight, I’m going down on you,” I replied, biting her lip.

I delighted in the way her body tensed with the stimulation.

“Don’t make… Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” she said, voice shuddering significantly. 

“You know I keep my promises, babe,” I replied, giving her right butt cheek a firm slap before going to the decorations on the table.

She stayed in place for a moment and I watched with pride as she took in a deep breath before joining me. We worked quietly, for the most part, and I snuck in shameless flirting at any available opportunity to keep her anticipation at peak levels. The last thing we did was hang the banner and, after it was done, we stood in the middle of the room to evaluate our work.

“Okay. This looks good,” Kelly said, nodding her head with her hands on her hips.

“You look good,” I replied, even going so far as to wink.

She rolled her eyes, but there was a wide smile on her lips.

“So, people are going to be here in less than an hour. I need you to get this out of your system because you can’t look at me like that with others in the room,” she said, amused.

“Are you suggesting a quickie?” I asked, taking a step toward her.

“No,” she replied, taking a step back. “I’m suggesting you put that libido on the back burner and go wake up Emma while I finish up out here.”

“One birthday girl, coming up,” I said, kissing her cheek and heading to the nursery.

When I walked in, she was already awake, but she was quiet, eyes darting around the room. I picked her up, planting kisses all over her face, causing her to laugh.

“You’re gonna have a busy day Em. Your whole family is coming to see you and they’re going to bring you new toys to play with. Mommy and I are so excited. It’s gonna be so much fun. Plus, there’s cake,” I said, taking off her onesie and changing her into the outfit Kelly picked out for her.

She looked adorable in her tiny, grey pants. Her white shirt/dress combo had a picture of an elephant on the front. Gathering the dapper child into my arms, I took her out to see Kelly.

“Aw. Come to mommy,” she said, holding out her arms. “You look so cute.”

While Kelly was wrapped up in talking to Emma, I got the chips and sandwiches set up on the table. As though she could smell the food from miles away, Kara knocked on the door as soon as I was done. 

“You’re early,” I said when I opened the door.

“Duh. That way I can have some time with my little one without having to share,” she said as though I should have expected it. “Oh my god. That outfit!”

She plucked the infant from Kelly’s arms and brought her over to the couch.

“Yeah, you might want to get your pictures now before she gets it all full of food,” Kelly suggested.

“Good thinking,” Kara replied, digging in her purse for her phone.

Mom got there shortly after, leaving Kara to pout as she took Emma. James was next to arrive, followed by J’onn, then Brainy and Nia. There was an obscene stack of gifts now that the whole family was gathered. Kara, James, Brainy, and J’onn were sitting with me in the living room and I wasn’t really paying attention to the conversation. Nia was holding the baby at the moment and she was in the kitchen talking to Kelly and my mom. They were laughing, but I couldn’t really hear what they were saying. I hoped my mother wasn’t saying anything embarrassing about me because she looked like she was in story-telling mode.

“…right, Alex?” Kara asked, nudging me.

I took a second to search her expression, trying to see what answer she was expecting because I wasn’t sure what she was asking.

“Sorry. I wasn’t listening,” I admitted.

“Told you,” James said to Kara.

“I was saying that Emma hasn’t started talking yet,” Kara repeated.

“Oh. Yeah. We’ve been working with her, but nothing so far. Two weeks ago, she almost took a full step before falling on her butt, though,” I bragged.

“She’ll be walking and talking before you know it,” J’onn added. 

When it was time for cake, I lit a single candle in the middle of one square piece and Kelly got the camera ready while James settled Emma into her high chair. I slowly carried it over to her, singing along with everyone else. I set it on the tray table in front of her and she was completely distracted by everyone’s singing. Once the song ended, I leaned forward beside her and blew out the weak flame. I removed the candle, kissing Emma on her chubby cheek before leaving her to enjoy the messy snack. I cut up the rest of the cake while Kelly passed the plates to everyone. After two minutes, it became apparent that our daughter was getting a bath tonight. 

All that was left on Emma’s plate was smeared icing and a few crumbs. Kelly wiped down her face and hands with a damp paper towel, much to Emma’s displeasure. Even with her turning her head from side to side, Kelly managed to get all of the chocolate off of her. Once she was reasonably clean, we opened gifts. Being the only baby in the family, she was far too spoiled for her own good. James got her a battery-operated purple Jeep that she wasn’t even able to operate yet. Nia and Brainy’s gift was an electronic toy that helps with counting and plays melodies of typical sing-along songs.

“You let Brainy pick the gift, didn’t you?” I asked, knowing Nia was more of a giant stuffed animal kind of girl.

She nodded, smiling proudly at his decision. 

“I love it,” I replied.

Mom brought her a beautiful toy chest with her name on it, which was good because she had already amassed quite a collection. James and J’onn had carried it in from her car earlier. Almost as heavy was J’onn’s gift. A new set of books. She barely had enough room on her bookshelf now and this would surely fill it. Finally, we opened Kara’s. It still needed to be assembled, but looking at the box, we saw that it was a padded play area with a little tent covering it. It was probably big enough for the three of us to sit inside.

“Wow. She’s going to have a good time in there,” Kelly said. “Once Alex puts it together.”

“I’ll put it together right now,” I replied, excited for Emma to try it out.

“So, what did you guys get her?” Nia asked as I ripped open the box. 

“A sandbox,” Kelly replied, proudly. 

“Why don’t you go show them, babe? It’ll give me room to work,” I suggested.

“Yeah. Let’s go see it,” Kara said, taking Emma and heading for the back door.

With everyone outside, I spread my supplies out on the ground and was pretty impressed with the size of it. The poles were pretty simple to connect and it only took me a few minutes to get the frame in place. I moved it to where it would live from now on, in the far corner of the living room, and the only thing left to do was drape the fabric over the top. As I was unfolding it, I heard the tail end of the discussion as everyone shuffled back inside. The covering fit perfectly and Kelly came up behind me, inspecting it.

“This is really nice,” she commented.

“Yeah. In one day, she’s got her own house and car,” I said, nodding toward the Jeep parked off to the side.

“Overachiever,” Kelly joked.

Since she was already very messy, Kelly took her for a quick bath and wardrobe change before Emma could thoroughly enjoy her gifts. She was pressing buttons over and over again on Brainy and Nia’s gift when she wasn’t crawling around inside her tent. As soon as Emma started to fall asleep, everyone took off, giving her kisses on their way out.

“Mom, do you need me to go get your bag?” I said, noticing that she hadn’t brought it up.

Instead of answering, she looked over to Kara who pulled me aside, earning a curious look from Kelly. I just shrugged and followed.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Mom’s gonna stay with me tonight.”

“Okay. Are you sure?” I asked.

“Very sure. You should let us take Emma with us,” she insisted.

“Oh, yeah, I don’t know about that,” I said, biting my lip nervously.

“Why not? Between me and mom, we can take care of her,” she assured me.

“It’s not that. She’s just never spent a night away from us before. I don’t think we’re ready for that.”

“So, you’re saying you don’t want to be alone with your fiancé for the first night in a whole entire year?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Well, my fear of letting Emma spend a whole night away from home just barely outweighs how much I want that. Besides, it’s her birthday. She should be with her moms. You can still take mom, though,” I agreed.

“I will,” she laughed, shaking her head. “Night, Alex.”

“Night,” I said, walking her back to the door.

Kelly and I said goodbye to my mom and finally it was just the three of us.

“What was that about?” Kelly asked, starting to pick up trash.

“She wanted to take Emma overnight,” I said, helping.

“You didn’t want her to?” Kelly asked.

“Not tonight. Maybe next time. Are you okay with it?”

“The thought’s a little scary. But it would be nice to have a night alone sometime,” she said.

“It would,” I agreed, taking her hand and stepping in close to her. “But it’s almost Em’s bed time. Why don’t you let me finish up and you go hop in the shower and relax? Take your time. I’ll put her to bed and meet you under the covers. What do you think?” 

“Sounds really nice,” she said, sighing as I swayed us slightly.

“Okay. Go. I’ll see you soon,” I said, kissing her cheek, then her lips.

She smiled, looking at me demurely over her shoulder as she walked away. As soon as I couldn’t see her anymore, I raced around collecting every bit of trash I could. I could say without question that I’d never cleaned so quickly and efficiently. I came back in from throwing the trash in the outside container and washed my hands before shutting off the lights and going into the nursery. I picked Emma up from where she’d been napping in her tent. She was clearly upset that I’d bothered her because she made cranky groans the whole way to her room. I put her on the changing table to put her in a fresh diaper and a onesie for bed.

“Boy, mommy’s lucky she didn’t have to change you tonight,” I said, stepping on the pedal next to me to open the trash can lid.

I dropped the soiled diaper inside. I picked her up, carrying her to the crib and when I set her down, she didn’t look tired anymore. It was quiet as I went over to the bookshelf. Kelly had already turned off the water across the hall.

“We’re gonna read a short one today because mommy just got out of the shower,” I said, grabbing the thinnest book with the largest print.

“Mommy?” Emma questioned. 

My eyes went wide immediately. I dropped the book and rushed to the crib.

“What did you just say?” I asked, leaning over her. “Kelly!”

A second later, she was rushing into the room wearing only a towel.

“What happened? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Come here. Look at her,” I said to Kelly, my heart pounding.

“Alex-” she started.

“Emma. Look who’s here, baby,” I said with lots of enthusiasm. “Who is that?”

“Mommy,” Emma said, laughing and kicking her feet.

I turned to Kelly who was frozen in awe, but the tears still filled up her eyes.

“Oh my god. Did you just-” she started. 

Immediately she was crying and picked her up out of the crib.

“You’re so perfect,” she whispered, kissing Emma’s smiling face.

Hearing her first word on her first birthday was perfect. Especially because of the specific word she said. Kelly looked over at me, holding Emma against her chest. I gave Kelly a soft kiss on the lips, completely overwhelmed to be sharing such an incredible moment with her. 

“Were you talking about me or something?” she asked, wiping her cheek. 

“Well, yeah. You’re our favorite person,” I said.

“You’re my favorite people, too,” she replied, squeezing Emma in a soft hug and kissing her forehead before putting her back in her crib. “Are you coming to bed?”

When she asked the question, I was brought right back to our moment in the kitchen earlier and it was too late to fight against the flush on my whole body.

“Yeah. As soon as I finish reading to her,” I said, looking her up and down and wishing I could just go with her right now. “Don’t fall asleep on me.”

She turned to leave and when she was halfway across the hall, she took off her towel. I had started walking to pick up the fallen book, but stopped in my tracks at the overt seduction. When she disappeared into the dimly lit bedroom, I turned on Emma’s mobile and sat down in the rocking chair, which was noticeably uncomfortable with the dampness in my underwear. I denied my desire to speed through it, knowing Emma would never get to sleep that way. My foot tapped impatiently on the area rug as I struggled through the first few pages. When I was just halfway through the story, I held back a cheer because her eyelids were already fluttering shut. 

By the time I finished the book, she was out and I slipped out of the room quietly, successful in not waking her. I licked my lips in anticipation, walking through the bedroom door and seeing Kelly lying on her back with the sheet over her. I took off my shirt, tossing it into the hamper. It was quickly followed by everything else and I climbed in on top of her, feeling her warm skin press into mine. I closed my eyes, living momentarily in the sensation. Neither of us said anything as we easily connected for a kiss. I rubbed one hand up and down her side as we continued for several minutes. Eventually, I started kissing my way down her body slowly. I kissed her chin, her jaw, her neck, her throat, her shoulder, and her chest before pausing to tease her nipples with my tongue.

She held onto my hair, arching her chest toward me and she was already starting to moan. I kissed her stomach, biting softly in some spots just so that each time my mouth met her skin she didn’t get used to a single sensation. The lower I went, the more I took my time. I realized the effect it was having when she started to angle her hips up off of the bed. At last, between her legs, I rested on my stomach. My hands wrapped around her thighs, my thumb rubbing across her skin as I touched my tongue to her for the first time since my promise this morning.

“Oh, god,” she whispered right before moaning again.

I listened for sound cues, guided by whines and groans, as well as the pace of her breath and hips. When I glanced up at her, I saw that her arms were resting above her head. My tongue pushed a few inches into her each time she picked up her hips, but when the tempo increased, it was less effective. I sucked her swollen flesh into my lips, brushing over the begging nerves in fast flicks and circles. 

“It’s so good, babe. Keep going,” she struggled to say.

I kept my upward strokes consistent as she rocked her hips against my mouth. While my speed stayed the same, I pulled back just a few centimeters so that the sensation was too faint to get her all the way there. I felt the need to prove to her that I was not too tired for this like she implied I would be earlier today.

“Please, baby,” she begged, picking up her head to look down at me.

She dropped down again when I gave her a little more of the pressure she needed. I loved everything about eating her out. Her taste. The feel of her slick wet lips against my tongue. The neediness of her thrusting hips. Her hand fisting in my hair when she couldn’t stop herself. All of it combined made it easy to keep her pleasure my only focus because the more I gave her, the less inhibited she became. When I looked up at her again, her skin was covered in sweat and the muscles in her stomach flexed with every insistent push of her hips. Now that she was seconds away, I pressed my tongue more firmly against her. Her sharp, staccato whines floated through the air as she stilled under me.

With a long, drawn out groan, she coated my chin. I slowed my tongue, licking very softly against her sensitive flesh to savor the taste and feel of her in my mouth as long as possible. Then, barely making contact, I kissed her dripping lips, hearing her draw in a sharp breath at the sensation. I climbed over her now that her whole body was limp. I held myself up on my knees and elbows, kissing her neck, leaving wet trails of her slickness on her skin.

Her hands moved to my hips, pulling slightly, giving me the hint to get down on top of her. I adjusted my position, urging her to spread her legs. I kneeled between them, lowering myself the rest of the way. When she leaned up, I thought it was to kiss me, but she planted her lips around my chin, licking across it. The hot, wet sensation was nothing compared to the eroticism of the fact that Kelly was sucking her own impeccable sweetness from my skin. I pushed my hips down slowly but firmly and her head fell back to the bed as she gasped. 

“God, you’re so sexy,” I said, not able to stop myself from kissing her lips.

“You were, um, enthusiastic down there,” she said when I stopped kissing her.

“Well, I take your pleasure very seriously,” I replied, getting into a comfortable position next to her.

Then, it was quiet for a while and that silence caused me to start thinking about what an absolute perfect day it had been. And what better way to end it. After ten minutes had passed, I thought she might be asleep already but, when I turned to my side, I could see that her eyes were open.

“Can you believe she said ‘mommy’?” Kelly asked softly when I put my arm across her stomach.

“That was like, the greatest thing ever,” I replied.

“Are you jealous that she didn’t say ‘mama’ instead?” she asked, her thumb rubbing my side.

“No. Are you kidding? I’ve been saying ‘mommy’ every chance I could, trying to get her to say it,” I laughed.

“Really?” she asked, turning her head to the side to face me.

“Yeah. I mean, just seeing the look on your face when she said it was… I can’t even describe what it felt like.”

“Well, maybe the next one can say ‘mama’ first,” she said, rolling onto her side and resting her hand on my waist.

“The next one?” I asked, not expecting even a hint of that conversation for a while yet.

“Is it too early to talk about extending our little family?” she asked softly.

“No. I’m just surprised. I decided to wait until you brought it up again after everything and I just thought it was still too soon for you but, if it’s not, I’m good with that. I’m ready,” I said, tightening my hold around her hip.

“I think we should apply for adoption. Together this time,” she said.

“We can do it online tomorrow. Or, you know, whenever. No rush,” I replied.


	20. Small Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Kelly have some time alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a while since my last update, but here's a good 6k word chunk. I hope you enjoy the update. Please let me know what you think. I'm SmutEmpress on Tumblr if you have prompts or questions.

A few weeks after Emma’s birthday party, Kelly and I were finally ready to let Kara take Emma for a sleepover. It was about time that we took a night to ourselves to just focus on our relationship. Plus, of course, lots of not at all quiet sex. I couldn’t think about that now, though, or we’d never even make it to our dinner reservation. I made it a week ago, Kara refusing to leave the apartment until they had my name down. She figured it would make me less likely to cancel because she knew I was hesitant. Right now, we were supposed to be packing Emma’s things but, when Kelly reached up to get the bag from the closet, her shirt lifted, revealing a good three inches of soft skin.

When she set the bag down on Emma’s changing table, she gave me a questioning look regarding my expression. I walked toward her, pinning her against the closet doorframe. I kissed her and her arms were bent between us, not letting me get any closer, but not pushing me away, either. I chanced a grip on the hem of her shirt, lifting it slowly. She didn’t break the kiss, but moaned a warning, hands moving to hold my wrists in place. I brought my hips closer, knowing the pressure was enough for her to feel something through her jeans. Somehow, I managed to hold back my smile when she gave in, releasing my wrists. This time, my hands were under her shirt, unopposed. I was about to reach her breasts when the doorbell rang, startling us both.

“Why do I always let you distract me?” she breathed, moving immediately to Emma’s dresser.

“Because you can’t resist me,” I bragged, leaving the room to answer the door.

Kara smiled, walking in and immediately looking around me to find her niece. 

“Do I not even exist anymore?” I scoffed.

“Sorry,” she replied, laughing and giving me a hug. “Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah. Why?” I asked, confused by the question.

“Your face is super red.”

“Oh,” I said, my embarrassment making it worse. “Just hot in here, you know.”

I went to the thermostat, dropping it a few degrees to support my story and also it was getting increasingly warm. 

“Where’s Em?” she asked, expectantly.

“Kelly’s getting her stuff together. They’re both in Emma’s room,” I replied, indicating for her to go in and see them.

“Hey, Kara,” Kelly said, hugging her as she entered the room. “Thanks so much for taking her tonight. We could use a night out.”

“Any time. Seriously.”

“We’ll see if you say that when you’re dropping her off tomorrow,” I teased.

Kara picked Emma up from where she was playing on the floor while I left to put the car seat from Kelly’s vehicle into Kara’s. Making sure it was securely fastened, I paused for a moment so that I could allow myself a mini panic session at the thought of her being away for so many hours. Taking deep breaths to calm down, I went back inside, meeting them both in the living room. They were sitting on the couch and Kelly was going over Emma’s feeding schedule for the third time in as many days. Kara listened attentively, anyway, and I felt the anticipation building at the prospect of us being actually, really alone.

“Call us any time for any reason,” Kelly added at the end of her instructions.

“We’re gonna be fine. Don’t worry so much.”

We all walked down to Kara’s car together so that I could show her how to buckle her properly in the seat. When she was secure, Kelly squeezed past me, kissing Emma on the cheek.

“Okay, baby girl. You have fun with your aunt, tonight. Your mommies are going to miss you, but we’ll see you tomorrow. Be a good girl,” she said, tearing up and kissing her again.

“Let’s go inside, babe,” I said, not wanting her to cause Emma to start crying, too.

“We’re gonna have a great time,” Kara assured her, rubbing Kelly’s arm to comfort her.

I leaned into the back seat, giving Emma several pecks on the cheek. 

“See you tomorrow, kiddo,” I said, closing the door. “Call us if you need anything.”

“I will. I promise,” Kara replied.

We both went back into the house, not saying anything on the short walk. Kelly closed the door, only after watching Kara drive off, and she leaned back into it.

“Come here,” I said, gesturing for her to come hug me.

“Tell me she’ll be okay,” she sighed, relaxing slightly in my arms.

“Better than okay. Kara might be the only one actually able to wear that child out,” I said, feeling tired at the mere thought of long playtime hours. 

“Maybe I should just remind her about-”

“Babe, she’s got it,” I interrupted gently. “Now, we have eighteen hours to do whatever we want, so tell me what you want to do.”

“Dinner?”

“We have a reservation two hours from now. So, until then…” I began, unbuttoning her jeans and jerking the zipper down.

Now unfettered and caught off guard, she swallowed, and she was already starting to breathe faster. Kara was probably barely at the stop sign down the street as I threw Kelly’s shirt onto the couch. The denial of my craving for so long made me unable to fill every second with anything other than her naked, flawless skin. My hand teased inside her underwear, wasting no time, as I walked her backward into the bedroom. The proof of her arousal bathed my fingers and feeling it caused me to relinquish every last ounce of control I had over myself. With my free hand, I dragged one of her bra straps down her shoulder. To prevent me from stopping what I was doing between her legs, she leaned her torso back slightly so that she could take the bra off herself.

The second the flesh was exposed, I sucked hard on one of her nipples, teeth grazing it just barely when her lurid moan tapped into my impatient side. It had been almost a week since we had sex last, which explained why Kelly was so close to coming even though I hadn’t gotten her pants off yet. 

“You want to get in bed?” I asked her, not slowing my fingers.

“No. Just keep going,” she said, inching toward the dresser so she could lean back against it.

“You’re so ready for me, babe. Fuck,” I whispered, finally penetrating her.

All of my skin was hot and buzzing in direct reaction to the amatory sounds spilling out of her and echoing through the quiet house. I couldn’t pull out much, with the restricting denim, so only fast, deep thrusts were possible. Vanity mirror now askew, Kelly gripped onto me, needing my pressure against her to keep her standing. When she rested her palms back on the surface of the dresser, I withdrew my hand from her pants, knowing there was a warm pool now soaking her underwear. 

“That was fast,” I said, kissing her and starting to push her pants down her thighs.

“It was a lot of buildup,” she replied, blissfully.

“Oh? So, you haven’t touched yourself while I was at work?” I asked, guiding her to the bed.

“No,” she answered, kissing me. “I kept hoping we’d have time.”

“Well, right now we have a lot of it,” I said, getting on top of her when she settled on her back. “And I’m going to make you come once for each day you had to go without.”

“Hm. Three to go, then,” she replied.

I smiled before descending, one wet kiss at a time, toward the scent that was inebriating on its own. Even in the dimly lit room, I could see the glimmering wetness well before my tongue sunk into the delicious depths. She was vocal from the start and that, in combination with the fact that it had been too long since I tasted her last, made me insatiable. Every sweet moan and profane word hit my eager ears and I buried my tongue deeper, covering my lips and chin with her inimitable flavor.

“Oh, fuck, Alex,” she exclaimed.

With her hand pushing my face more firmly into her, I couldn’t breathe, but that was a problem that I wouldn’t have to solve for another few seconds. I took advantage of the added depth, curling my tongue up against her front wall until she slightly relaxed her hold. I inhaled, feeling the coolness everywhere my face was coated, before continuing. Each passing second made her less concerned about the amount of noise she was making and it was a huge ego boost to hear how blatant her enthusiasm was. She warned me, a minute later, that she was about to come so I doubled down on speed and pressure. Usually, when I go down on her, it takes at least half an hour to get her here. I thought I’d have at least that long since I’d just fucked her against the dresser but, only fifteen minutes in, she was grasping around my tongue.

I licked the gushing warmth from her, thoroughly ridding her of it. She shivered, whimpering softly as I continued. When I was satisfied, I kissed her flushed folds, feeling the gentle throbbing against my lips as Kelly splayed weakly on the mattress. I climbed up her body, lying fully on top of her despite the heat. 

“Maybe a small break this time,” Kelly breathed, sighing afterward.

“Very small,” I said, listening to her heartbeat.

Since we had just over an hour until our dinner reservation, we decided to take the next round to the shower with the intention of multitasking. It started off in failure, Kelly’s back against the cold tile while the steam wafted around us. My thigh was between her legs, knee pressing almost uncomfortably into the wall. As the water pounded on my back, she slid against my leg, eagerly seeking relief. The water dripping down between helped in that regard and she gripped hard into my backside with both hands. I leaned my upper body further against her so that she had as much friction everywhere as possible. This time, it took her a little longer to come because her fingers were working between my legs at the same time. 

Even with her lack of focus, it took her less than two minutes to bring me to my first orgasm of the night. I groaned deeply through it and fisted my hands against the tile on either side of her. The tightening muscle in my thigh in combination with my come on her fingers had her rounding the corner of her third explosion of the evening. I felt the difference in temperature as her warmth dripped down my thigh. Now that we’d gotten it, somewhat, out of our system, we finished showering. Every now and then I got distracted again by the unfair taunting of her hardened nipples. As we dried off in the bedroom, I glanced over at the clock. 

“What are you doing?” she asked as I removed her towel.

“I think we have time to go again,” I said, undoing my towel to wrap it around us both.

“You’re really making every second count, aren’t you?” she asked, not pulling out of the embrace right away.

“Well, babe, it has been a year since we’ve been able to have marathon sex. Obviously, I’ve been looking forward to it,” I said, kissing the tip of her nose.

“Let’s have dinner first. Then I’ll let you fuck me until the sun comes up,” she said, nonchalantly.

“I’m so going to hold you to that,” I replied as she crossed the room to start getting dressed.

When we were nearly finished getting ready, Kelly sat on the bed to put on her shoes, reaching for her phone once they were on. 

“I’m just going to call Kara before we leave,” she said, the phone already ringing.

I sat down next to her, waiting for my sister to answer. She picked up on the third ring.

“Hey, Kelly. Your little girl is just fine,” she said, Emma babbling in the background. “Say ‘hi’ to mommy and mama.”

“Mommy,” Emma said, making Kelly smile wider. 

“Hi, my sweet girl,” Kelly responded, eagerly.

“What is she doing?” I asked.

“Playing with that ring stacker thing that I got for her last week. Eliza suggested it. Something about sensory development,” Kara replied.

“Good job, Eliza,” Kelly said mostly to herself. “You’re dropping her off at ten tomorrow morning, right?”

“Yes. Still,” Kara replied, laughing.

“Sorry. I’m getting there,” Kelly said, shaking her head.

“We’ll see you in the morning,” I said, more to urge Kelly to hang up so we could get going.

“Enjoy dinner,” Kara replied, hanging up the phone.

“Feel better?” I asked, rubbing Kelly’s back.

“Much,” she said, letting out a deep breath.

“Okay. Let’s go get some food. I’m starving,” I replied.

We rushed out to the car, finally on our way to our first real date in forever. I decided to be the designated driver just in case anything happened with Emma. Kelly was wearing a blue dress with heels in a different shade and, since my arousal was peaking again, I risked a hand on her thigh, bunching up the hem of her skirt a couple of inches.

“Hands to yourself,” she said, eyeing me authoritatively.

“See if you say that later,” I mumbled, moving my hand to her knee and keeping it there.

“You’re going to have to behave yourself if we’re going to be out in public.”

“Oh. Well, then let’s get it to go,” I joked.

“Stop,” she replied, laughing.

“There is no stop. There is only pause,” I said.

“Fine. Then, pause,” she said, shaking her head.

I knew she was rolling her eyes at me even though I couldn’t see it. We were seated right away when we got to the restaurant and she had a glass of wine and I had water and a few breadsticks while we looked over our menus. 

“So, I think I’m ready to do the application,” she said, taking a sip of wine.

“Really?” I asked, putting my menu down.

“Yeah. I mean, it could be over a year before anything happens so… I want to get things going with that. You know, if you’re still interested.”

The waiter came by as I thought about how to respond to the great news and we both ordered the same things we always did, which was fortunate because it resulted in him leaving faster.

“Are you sure? I mean, I’m happy to hear you say that. I just want to make sure that you’re sure.”

“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it. I’m sure,” she replied, nodding.

Now, I wanted to get her back home even more. Although, it was nice to be able to spend this time together enjoying dinner and getting to talk more about our future. We still had a wedding that we hadn’t even started planning yet, but that wasn’t going to deter us from adding to our family since we were clearly both ready.

“I like having conversations like this with you. Talking about all of the awesome things we still have to look forward to.”

“Well, I hope you still feel that way when we’re two months into wedding planning,” she replied as our food arrived.

“God, I can’t wait to marry you,” I said when we were alone again.

“What if I’m a bridezilla?” she teased, cutting into her chicken.

“Are you?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Guess we’ll find out,” she replied, shrugging.

“I don’t think you are. But, I’d marry you anyway,” I said with certainty.

We didn’t get dessert because it just didn’t seem that important with only fourteen hours of alone time remaining. This time, on the drive home, her hand was on my leg and each red light ramped up my impatience. It was only seven-thirty when we got there so I was glad that I’d have the opportunity to take things slow. Maybe on the second or third round though because, right now, even the task of getting the key in the door was maddening. As soon as we were on the other side of it, I picked her up, making it only so far as the couch before I couldn’t wait to undress her another second. I kissed her, my hand already most of the way up her dress and I pulled down her underwear when I reached the waistband.

“You know we have all night, right?” she asked as I slipped her panties off, getting them tangled momentarily on her high heels.

“Doesn’t make it any easier to slow down,” I replied, roughly pushing her dress up her thighs. “Open your legs, babe. I wanna taste you.”

As soon as she gave me enough room, I buried my face between her legs and her hips pushed up into me in response.

“Oh my god, babe. Oh, fuck,” Kelly panted, one hand fisting in her dress.

She probably couldn’t even see my head with the material partially draped over it. With only two glasses of wine in her system, she was still noticeably more unrestrained in her verbal responses. Although, that was also likely due to the fact that it was the only time she really could. And I was going to do whatever it took to make sure I kept those sounds coming. I wasn’t gentle, swirling my tongue inside of her and licking passionately. I couldn’t see her, but I could feel that she was moving around quite a bit, getting totally lost in the gratification. I tried to contain the mess because she was already dripping down onto her dress.

“That feels so good. Oh god. Fuck,” she said.

Her words were barely audible with the rustling of her dress around my head, but her tone was equally as exciting as what she was saying. It was quite the ego boost, having not heard this level of enjoyment in way too long. I reached up to touch her breast, feeling her hand over mine shortly after. Even with her dress still on, I could feel her hard nipple against my palm, warm under the silky fabric. The thrusting of her hips coincided with each harsh exhale and my free hand wrapped forcefully over her thigh to give her more pressure. An unsuppressed cry came bursting from her now that all of the sensations had aligned perfectly. Her dress was already dirtied even before the generous gush that I could barely contain with my lapping tongue. 

I got up, now that she was finished, and rested on top of her, feeling the warm heat as her wetness soaked through the fabric covering the thigh I had pressed against her. She groaned at the pressure against her throbbing flesh. We kissed for a while, sharing her taste. I knew I’d have to give her a few minutes to recuperate and this was a great way to pass that time. She took off my shirt and I hadn’t realized how hot I’d been until the cool air hit my back. When she started moaning against my lips again, it was a signal that she was ready for me again. This time, I was going to stay up here with her while my fingers did the work between her legs. I teased a few inches inside her, feeling her give around the first knuckle.

“I love being inside you so much,” I whispered, going deeper.

“That feels so good, babe. Go slow,” she said, kissing me at her desired tempo.

She closed her eyes, guiding her hips against my hand softly because she was mostly pinned under me. I wanted to keep kissing her, but the gasps and whines were wasted on my lips so I kissed her neck instead, biting slightly when she pushed harder with her hips. Disobeying her own request, she started grinding faster onto my fingers. As she got closer, evidenced by the light flutter of muscles inside her, she pressed her heel into the couch cushion applying direct and ample pressure between my legs. I was still wearing my pants so I could barely feel the warmth of her bare thigh, but I helplessly worked myself against it at the same pace as the one I was keeping within Kelly. 

I was getting so carried away with what I was feeling that I didn’t snap back to focus until I felt the intense compression from her heated walls. She stiffened and whined desperately as the extended orgasm continued on. Moving faster along her thigh, I was able to hold off my own just long enough for her to release me. Planting the wet hand on the arm of the couch, next to her head, I focused on getting myself the rest of the way there. She whispered encouraging words in my ear, pulling my waist toward her to give my thrusts more power. I shivered on top of her feeling the outflow drenching my underwear. I panted there for a minute, trying to catch my breath enough to kiss her.

“Wow,” she said after. “That was… I mean, we’re not even undressed yet.”

“I’ll take care of that in a minute,” I said, climbing back into a seated position.

Kelly’s legs were stretched across my lap and I rubbed a hand up and down one of them.

“This has been really nice,” Kelly said, getting up and straddling me. “Not just the sex. Although, that’s pretty great. It’s just been so long since we could just be together like this without having to think about anything else.”

“Well, maybe as Emma gets a little older, we can have more nights like this together. I mean, I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait another year to have a night alone with you.”

“Should we call and check on her?” Kelly asked.

“How about a text?” I compromised.

Kelly reached back to the coffee table for her phone, laughing before she even unlocked it.

“Your sister texted four minutes ago that they’re fine and sent a selfie of her reading to Emma,” she said, turning her phone to show me the photo.

“See? Aunt Kara is on it,” I replied.

“Okay,” Kelly said, texting something back to Kara before putting her phone back on the table.

“Come here,” I said, yanking Kelly’s closer with a firm grip on her backside.

She giggled in surprise, leaning down to kiss me and we were immediately back on track. My hands pressed against her thighs, sliding up under her skirt again. When I reached her hips, it billowed back into place while my hands continued higher. My fingers met between her shoulders, pulling down the zipper at the back of her dress. Kelly was winded when she backed out of the kiss, keeping me from recapturing her lips with a palm against my face. She brushed her thumb across my cheek, just observing me. 

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yeah. Just… We’ve been doing this for three years and it still feels so good,” she replied, really drawing out the last two words.

“Well, hopefully better. I like to think I learned a thing or two over the years,” I said.

“You’re a quick study,” she agreed.

I laughed, my hands going to her waist so that I could bring her in for another kiss, but as she felt the light pressure, she held still.

“Something else?” I asked, kissing her chest to distract her.

“No. I would just prefer if we move things into the bedroom now,” she replied, standing from her place in my lap and heading there.

When I entered a second behind her, she was standing next to the bed on my side which almost always meant that very good things were about to happen. I hurried to stand in front of her and she kissed me while wasting no time unbuttoning my pants. As she pulled the zipper down, I unfastened my bra, noting Kelly’s lack of nakedness. Since the zipper on her dress was already undone, I jerked the dress downward, it falling to the floor easily. She turned away from me, her breathing deliciously audible, and leaned forward reaching for the drawer of my nightstand. I kicked off my underwear, moving to stand behind her, so close that my stiffened nipples brushed against her back when she straightened up.

She gripped the red silicone tight in one fist as I held my body more firmly against her, kissing her neck and shoulder. Her free hand gripped the edge of the nightstand when I shoved her underwear off of her hips. Then, she turned, kneeling on the floor in front of me. Helping me into the harness, I had to fight against the visual to keep my excitement from peaking far too soon. Once the straps were adjusted to fit snugly, she grabbed the toy around the middle and slowly slipped the first few inches past her lips. I swallowed hard, using every muscle in my body to remain upright as the sight made my knees buckle in a noticeable way. I drew in a shaky breath, watching as her lust darkened eyes looked up at me, the appendage covered in her saliva now.

“Fuck,” I breathed, unable to watch anymore because I needed to be inside her. “Stand up, babe.”

I helped her to her feet, kissing her fervently while I took off her bra, the last bit of fabric keeping me from witnessing the full majesty of her nakedness.

“How do you want to fuck me, babe?” she asked, tugging purposefully, causing me to groan.

“Turn around. Hold onto the mattress,” I instructed, seeing the appreciative smirk on her face before she acceded. 

Her legs were spread a little more than shoulder width apart and, now that she was bent forward, everything opened up for me. Her sumptuous wetness fully displayed, I was already far too excited and I had to calm down or I wouldn’t even make it halfway inside her. The anticipation was evident as I poised the tip at her entrance. With the obliging slickness, I was fully inside her with only slight effort. She groaned, gripping two fistfuls of sheets while I anchored myself with a hand on each of her hips. 

By the third thrust, she was down from palms to elbows and this position had each return thrust hammering directly against my buzzing nerves. Knowing I only had a few seconds to course correct, I brought her back to standing, still nestled inside her warmth. One arm was across her chest, keeping her from falling forward again, but it was a temporary solution. She turned her head, barely able to reach my lips to kiss me. When she turned further, the silicone weighed heavily between my legs, no longer filling her. Facing me again, I encouraged her to get on the bed. Now, she was parallel to the head and foot boards, but not caring to delay things any longer, I climbed on top of her and her hand slipped across the coated silicone as she guided it back into herself.

Dropping down gently on top of her, I let gravity complete the permeation. Her arms hung partially off the edge of the bed, but once I thrusted into her again, she brought them to my back. Palms massaging up and down along my spine, she moaned loud in axiomatic pleasure. It was feeling too good for me too, and each firm drive hummed through me. I closed my eyes tight, trying to focus on getting Kelly to finish. The pattern of groans, whines, and sharp breaths urged me to fuck her faster, bouncing almost imperceptibly from the mattress with the force of it. I noted the hoarseness in her voice with the next expletive that sneaked past her lips. I wondered if, by morning, she’d still be able to talk. 

The thought of that roughness in her voice pushed me abruptly into my orgasm. I knew it was obvious to Kelly as I cried out, curling against her but fighting through it to continue getting her off. I groaned through the hypersensitivity and almost fell into a second orgasm when she grabbed onto my backside, guiding my thrusts. Especially, when she bit firmly into my shoulder as I felt her walls constrict around me. Planting soft, wet kisses across her chest, I shuddered, pulling out of her once she stopped rocking against me. I stayed on top of her, the warm silicone resting along her thigh, now.

“Okay. Water break,” Kelly said a full minute later, but didn’t move to get up.

Once we were hydrated, we took a small break, both checking our phones for messages and finding none. Now, we were sitting with our backs against the headboard, sharing a bottle of water. The sheet rested across our hips now that the sweat began to cool us, my erection tenting under it because I wasn’t done using it yet. I was impressed and even more in love with her that night. Her unfaltering stamina had us surpassing our previous record in no time and I fell into a deep sleep, exhausted after endless hours of it.

Kelly’s knee jerking against the silicone was the only thing that woke me the next morning. I had fallen asleep without taking it off, too tired to even attempt it. Before I could orient myself, I was distracted by the sound of my phone vibrating on the nightstand. I stretched out my arm for it, feeling the unfathomable soreness everywhere.

“Hello?” I answered, not even able to open my eyes yet.

“Are you guys home?” Kara asked.

“Yeah,” I replied quietly, Kelly reviving beside me. “Bring her by.”

“It’s 10:15. I’m already here. Didn’t you hear the doorbell?” she asked.

“No. Sorry. One sec. I’m getting up,” I said, gently guiding Kelly’s leg off of me while hanging up the phone.

I unbuckled the harness, wincing slightly at the soreness of the red lines where the straps had been applying pressure all night. I quickly pulled on shorts and a t-shirt before rushing to the bathroom to wash my face and hands. I walked delicately to the door, feeling the soreness even more in my now alert state. I rushed to unlock the door, letting Kara inside. 

“Hi, my big girl,” I said to Emma, reaching for her. “I’m really sorry I didn’t hear you, Kara.”

“It’s fine. I would have used my key, but I figured there was too high a chance I’d walk in on something I didn’t want to see.”

“Probably a good call,” I said, unable to deny the implication.

“Hey,” Kara said to Kelly as she wandered out toward us, rubbing a hand across her face.

“Kara, hi,” she replied, voice so raspy I couldn’t help my smug smirk.

“Are you losing your voice,” my sister asked, hugging her.

“Just… Sore throat,” she muttered, taking Emma from me and covering her face with kisses.

“I’ll bet,” Kara replied shaking her head, smiling knowingly.

“Stay for breakfast,” I said, taking Emma’s bags from her. 

“Well, if you insist,” she replied, stepping further into the room.

Kelly fastened Emma into her high chair at the end of the kitchen island before she and Kara sat down on the barstools next to it.

“Mama. Food,” Emma said when I took the mixing bowl out from the cabinet.

“Yes, baby. I’m making you food,” I replied, kissing a plump cheek.

“So, how many words is she saying now?” Kara asked.

“Just three. Mommy, Mama, and food.”

“Priorities,” Kara shrugged.

“Exactly,” I agreed, cracking an egg into the mix.

Every time I glanced over to Emma, she was still watching me and it was just one of those perfect moments where I had every single thing I could want at once. I wanted to live in this morning for as long as possible. When Kara’s stack of pancakes was fifteen high, we went to sit at the table. I wheeled Emma’s high chair that way and parked her beside my chair. Kelly and Kara sat across from each other. Kelly had two mugs of coffee and set one down in front of me.

“Thanks, babe,” I said, giving her a peck on the lips.

Our lingering look must have gone on longer than expected because Kara cleared her throat. Kelly smiled apologetically, sitting up straight in her seat and sipping her coffee. 

“Guessing you guys had a good night,” she teased before taking a huge bite of pancakes.

“Thanks, so much for watching her,” I replied, sincerely.

“I told you. Any time,” she said.

“How was she?” Kelly asked, voice still noticeably affected from last night’s events.

A single, small laugh slipped out and she kicked my leg under the table so I worked harder to control it.

“She was perfect,” my sister replied, mercifully ignoring the exchange. “This morning she started to get a little cranky. I think she was just hungry and missed you guys. She liked riding back in the car, though. Which reminds me, I need to give your car seat back.”

After breakfast, Kelly took Emma to her play tent and sat down with her. Kara and I went out to put the car seat in Kelly’s back seat. When we got back inside, Emma peeked out of the tent before crawling toward us.

“Mama,” she said, sticking her legs straight out, struggling to stand.

Kelly leaned forward to help support her. As soon as she was somewhat steady on her feet, she wobbled out of Kelly’s embrace, taking three uncoordinated steps forward before falling to her butt.

“Oh my god. You walked!” I yelled, picking her up. 

Kelly got up from the ground, rushing over.

“That was the first time?” Kara asked, amazed as she stared at her niece.

“Yup. First time,” Kelly replied, kissing Emma repeatedly. “I’m so proud of you, Emma.”

I wondered if maybe she walked because she missed us and I thought how ironic that would be since I’d been so hesitant about letting her leave the house. We all sat down on the couch for a while and Kara told us more about what their day together had been like. Around noon, she left and our little family stayed in the play area for a while before a nap that Kelly and I needed much more than Emma did. As much fun as I had the night before, I loved having our daughter back home with us and it was that blissful mood that carried me back into a deep sleep.


	21. Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been forever. I've had a hard time figuring out where I wanted to go next with the story, but I think I got something nice and juicy. Let me know what you think. I'm SmutEmpress on Tumblr if you have questions or prompts. Also, I'm going to try to stay on top of this one a little more. Really. But when the Dansen Fic Week comes at the end of this month, it might be a while. Lmao.

I had just gotten back from leaving the deposit at the wedding venue Kelly and I had decided on. When I opened the door, I saw her asleep on the couch. Emma was snuggled against her chest on the side near the backrest and an open book was on the floor next to them. I knelt down beside her, kissing her cheek. She breathed in, eyes opening slowly. 

“Hi,” I said, giving her a soft peck on the lips.

“Hey, babe. How did it go?” she asked, groggily.

“Good. We’re all booked,” I replied. “You want me to take her?”

Kelly nodded and I carefully picked Emma up and she whined a little, but by the time I got her to her room, she was mostly asleep again. When I went back out to the living room, Kelly was sitting up on the couch. I bent down to kiss her again.

“You want to go take a nap in bed?” I asked.

“I think I’m good now, actually,” she said, stretching. “But how about we get in bed anyway? We can celebrate checking something off of our wedding checklist.”

I held out my hands to help pull her up and when we were face to face, I kissed her.

“I like that idea,” I said after.

When we got into the room, I got into bed, patting the empty spot beside me. She climbed on and rested on her right elbow, looking over at me. I felt a flutter again in that moment. The one that happened whenever I thought about marrying her, which was pretty much all the time now that we’d actually started planning. I started kissing her, compelling her to lie on her back. One of her thighs was between my legs, leaving plenty of room for my hand between hers. 

“Don’t forget. We have the cake tasting tomorrow,” she said as I unbuttoned her pants.

“That’s what you’re thinking about right now?” I asked, amused. “I’m interested in a different kind of tasting at the moment.”

I backed up to pull her pants and underwear off and if I did so a little roughly, it was only to get Kelly’s attention back on me. Her surprised gasp quickly transitioned to heavy breathing. I licked teasingly at the source of unyielding wetness and looked up between her legs to see that she was biting her lip to keep quiet, but the groans still sounded full and needy in her throat. I got lost, momentarily, in my own enjoyment of it, working her up more than I’d planned.

“Come up here,” she begged.

While I wanted to spend more time tasting her, I always preferred to give in to her requests. After getting undressed, I did as she asked, positioning myself with one of her thighs between mine. I put a majority of my weight on my left elbow, using my right hand to continue the stimulation my tongue had just been providing.

“Take off your shirt,” I breathed, unwilling to stop touching her long enough to do it myself.

I felt her body stretch and squirm under mine as she tried to accomplish the task as quickly as possible. She pulled my face down to hers as soon as it was off and the thought of her taste between my tongue and hers fueled my urge to fill her. As soon as my fingers were inside her, she pressed her thigh against me and my moan caused her to smirk against my lips. Disguising my need to breathe, I angled my head to be able to tease her nipples, trying my best to ignore the pressure of her unmoving thigh. When she pulled me flush to her, my chin landed on her shoulder and her fingertips pressed impatiently into my hips, trying to urge me to move them.

“I can’t,” I answered. “Too much.”

“Please, babe. I want to feel you,” she replied as I kept my fingers moving inside her.

I inhaled, trying to mentally dull the sensation as I rocked softly against her. My breath was hot on her neck as I tried to be more precise with my touch but, no matter what, I couldn’t distract myself from the friction her thigh was causing. I paused my hand, unintentionally, when she pushed more firmly against me. My breath halted in my throat as my thighs squeezed around hers.

“Come for me, babe,” Kelly encouraged. “You feel so good.”

My hips jerked against her in no discernable rhythm as the amount of wetness on her thigh more than doubled. I started breathing again, by necessity only, and the mouthfuls of air were nowhere near as satisfying as my warm heat throbbing intently as I remained in place. One of her hands massaged my scalp as I continued working to catch my breath. I was still inside of her so I began moving again, enjoying the groan it caused.

“Oh, my god,” she whispered repeatedly as I improved my accuracy and speed with each stroke.

While I absolutely enjoyed the feeling of her tightening muscles, this part was my favorite. She dangled just at the edge of fulfillment, every part of her body asking for release. Her eyes were squeezed shut in concentration and the tension was visible in her clenching jaw, causing her verbal pleas to cease. Her hips moved slightly as more moans worked their way through her chest, stifled by my kiss when I finally couldn’t keep my lips from hers anymore. 

“Wow. I didn’t know I needed that so badly,” Kelly said, when I moved to her side.

“Well, it has been a while,” I replied, putting an arm across her stomach.

“You consider three days ‘a while’?” she asked, laughing softly.

“What can I say? You spoil me,” I replied, feeling content. “Want me to make some lunch?”

“I’m meeting Kara at Noonan’s in 45 minutes. She’s decided that she wants to throw me a bachelorette party. I even had to fill out a questionnaire.”

“Oh, so I don’t get one?” I scoffed.

“You really want your sister to hire strippers for you?” she asked.

“You’re getting strippers?” I asked, turning toward her dramatically.

“I don’t know. All I’m saying is, James will be in town next week and I know he’d be happy to plan your last night as an unmarried woman,” she replied, amused.

My arm fell limply to the mattress when she slid out of bed and I watched her head into the bathroom and turn on the shower. I cleaned up and got dressed so that I could get Emma up from her nap. Half an hour later, Kelly was dressed and nearly ready to leave as we were watching TV.

“Okay. I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” she said, leaning down to kiss me.

“Have fun. I love you,” I replied as she gave Emma a peck on the cheek. 

“I love you, too.”

The more time that passed, the further Emma and I got from the TV. Right now she was particularly interested in her blocks. They had rounded edges and were all different colors. Kelly mentioned how they helped to develop fine motor skills, but Emma and I just thought they were fun. When she lost interest an hour later, I put her in her high chair so that I could make us some lunch. I turned on the stove, boiling some water for macaroni when the doorbell rang. When I looked through the peephole, the woman on the other side of the door looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t think of how I knew her. She was a tall, black woman who looked to be in her early fifties. I opened the door a few inches to see what she wanted.

“Oh. Sorry. I think I must have the wrong house,” she said almost as soon as I opened the door. “I was looking for Kelly Olsen. Do you know if she lives near here?”

“Um, she didn’t mention that she was expecting anyone,” I said, knowing Kelly would have definitely said something.

“I didn’t tell her I was coming. I wanted to surprise her. I’m Kelly’s mother. Lenore,” she explained, reaching out her hand.

“Oh. Alex,” I said, with thousands of thoughts being set free in my mind as I reciprocated the handshake.

I’d seen a younger version of her in photos and now it made sense why she looked familiar. Kelly hardly ever talked about her and, when she did, it was always in the past tense. Since before I’d even met Kelly, they had a strained relationship and hadn’t spoken in years. I knew that, whatever the reason, it was painful for her to talk about so I never pushed. That meant that I had little to no context to prepare me for this moment and I was frozen in place for a few seconds, wondering exactly what I was supposed to do.

“So, is she here?” she asked as I was working through what I could do or say.

“Sorry. She’s… Uh, I don’t know exactly when she’ll be back. I could… I could let her know you came by,” I said, hoping to buy some time.

“Do you mind if I wait here for her? It’s quite a drive back to the Ivy with all this traffic,” she asked.

“Okay. Sure. Come on in,” I said, hesitantly.

I needed call or text Kelly to warn her, although, I really hated being in this position. I would’ve at least liked the opportunity to ease her into it rather than this desperate rush.

“Is she your daughter?” she asked as I fumbled clumsily in an attempt to get my phone from my pocket. 

“Oh. Yup. She’s one and a half,” I said, rushing over to the stove to turn it off. “Can I get you some water or something?”

“Water would be great,” she replied as I worked fast to type out the right words. 

Then, in a glorious show of poor timing, Kara and Kelly came through the door laughing, undoubtedly sharing one of their weird inside jokes. I watched helplessly as Kelly looked up and immediately went serious. When she looked over at me, I rushed over.

“I was about to text you,” I said awkwardly.

The words got lost in a ten second silence that felt much longer.

“Kara, can you please take Emma outside?” Kelly asked, obviously struggling to stay composed.

“Yeah. Of course,” Kara said, going over to Emma’s high chair and picking her up.

They disappeared quickly into the back yard, Kara slipping Emma into her swing.

“What are you doing here?” she asked in a tone I’d never heard her use before.

“I should-” I started, not wanting to encroach on the moment.

“No. Stay,” Kelly interrupted, breaking the intense eye contact briefly to look at me as she said it.

Lenore stood up from the couch, taking a few steps closer to Kelly. Kelly took a step back, folding her arms across her chest.

“I heard you’re getting married,” Lenore began.

“And how did you hear that? Did James tell you?” she asked, voice quivering.

I couldn’t tell if it was anger or the fight to keep from crying and I just tried to fade into the background, figuring that was the best thing I could do for now.

“Don’t be mad at him. He knows what a big day it is for you,” she confirmed.

“Which is exactly why I don’t want you there,” she said, tears finally released.

“You don’t mean that, honey,” Lenore responded, also beginning to cry.

“Oh, I mean it,” she nodded. “I mean it as much as you meant what you said to me the last time we saw each other. Which is exactly why I don’t understand why you’d even come here.”

Lenore looked over to me, clearly wondering why I was even still in the room and I didn’t have much of a better idea than she did, but if it was what Kelly wanted, my feet would stay planted.

“We can put it behind us, Kelly. That’s why I came. I want to meet your fiancé and learn more about him. And I want to help you look for a dress and be at the church when you get married. What happened in the past doesn’t matter anymore,” she said.

Kelly took a step back, wiping her tears away with both hands because there were more of them now. I was slowly piecing things together, but there was still a lot I didn’t understand.

“Wow. James was obviously severely lacking with the details, wasn’t he? I don’t even know where to start,” she replied, hands on her hips as she shook her head. “I guess you came all this way for nothing.”

“What are you talking about?” Lenore asked. 

“You should just go back home, mom.”

It was absolutely breaking my heart to see Kelly hurting so badly and not knowing how to help made it even worse.

“Now, you listen. I’m still your mother and I took two planes and a rental car to get here, so you can at least talk to me,” she insisted.

That seemed to set Kelly off and she unleashed everything she’d been holding onto for years in one devastating tirade.

“You made the choice to come here. To show up where you’re not wanted. I don’t owe you anything, least of all an invitation to my wedding. I want to be happy. Having you around doesn’t make me happy. You told me I wasn’t your daughter anymore. You told me that you’d never accept who I was. Who I am. And then I thought you being here meant that maybe there was some chance that you’ve changed. But then you…” 

She broke even more then, crying like she might never stop.

“I’m not getting married in the church,” she started again, forcing her words through the tears. “And I’m marrying Alex.”

Lenore looked stunned by that information and I was much more nervous now that her attention was more focused on me.

“You?” Lenore asked, not bothering to hide her displeasure. “But you have a child. You’re really going to put that innocent child-”

“Do not talk about my daughter,” Kelly interrupted, in full on protector mode. “I want you to get out. You’re not my family anymore. Besides, now that you have all the information, I’m sure you can’t wait to disown me again.”

It was clear that Lenore didn’t know how to respond. She glared at me one last time before turning back to Kelly who immediately walked away, going into the bedroom and slamming the door. Without saying anything to me, Lenore left the house in a huff. I was still in shock about the whole situation, but my main thought was to go see what I could do for Kelly. I made a quick stop in the back yard to get Emma and thank Kara for helping out.

“Is she okay?” Kara asked, not sure what was going on. “Why was Kelly’s mom here?”

“Sometimes I forget that you dated James,” I replied, briefly wondering how she knew. “Um, she’s pretty upset so I’m just gonna go talk to her.”

As soon as Kara left, I went into the bedroom holding Emma against my chest. Kelly was sitting cross legged on the bed, her back against the headboard and a tissue in her hand.

“I’m sorry,” I started.

“You didn’t know,” she replied right away.

“She’s wrong about everything,” I said, going to my side of the bed and sitting beside her.

“That doesn’t make it hurt less,” she replied, voice shaking.

“I know,” I answered, putting my arm around her shoulders.

She leaned over and took Emma, planting kisses all over her face.

“You could never do anything to make mommy leave you. Never,” she said, Emma reaching for Kelly’s cheeks with two chubby hands.

“Besides, she’s perfect anyway,” I agreed. 

“Do you think I’m wrong for not giving her a chance?” Kelly asked after a minute or two.

“Of course not. She really hurt you. She doesn’t have to be a part of your life if you don’t want her to be. You know I’m always on your side no matter what,” I said, hoping it helped. 

She scooted down to lie on her side and I didn’t say anything else. I just traced my fingers up and down her upper arm until she eventually fell asleep. I had a feeling she would, exhausting as the whole thing had been, and I already had plans for that time. I picked up Emma and left a note on the night stand letting Kelly know that we were out for a drive. On the way downtown to the Ivy, I called James.

“Hello?”

I saw Emma smile in the rearview upon hearing her uncle’s voice and I was reminded to measure my tone despite how badly I wanted to just lay into him.

“Jay,” Emma mumbled. 

She hadn’t quite gotten ‘James’ down yet and ‘uncle’ was even harder, but the nickname worked for now.

“Hi, baby,” he said, sweetly.

“James… you are so lucky you’re in Calvintown right now because I could just murder you,” I started, interrupting their conversation. “Why on Earth would you tell your mom about the wedding?”

“She was supposed to call me before she came so I could talk to Kelly.”

“Doesn’t answer my question,” I replied, impatiently. “If Kelly didn’t go looking for her when she was pregnant, or even when she had Emma, what made you think she’d be okay with this?”

“She came to visit and she saw it on my calendar, okay? I don’t know if Kelly told you, but she’s the nosiest woman in the world. I didn’t tell her. I wouldn’t do that to Kelly,” he replied.

“You could’ve given me a heads up, you know,” I said, angry at the situation, but much less upset with James.

“I’m sorry. I was gonna try to talk to Kelly and feel her out. See if she was open to seeing her first. Is she okay?”

“She will be, but I’d expect a not so pleasant call from her soon,” I replied.

“Thanks for the heads up,” he said.

“Yeah. See how that works?” I teased. “Anyway, I’ll talk to you later. I gotta go do something stupid.”

I heard him start to ask what it was before I hung up on him, pulling up to the hotel. In retrospect, it was probably not the best idea to bring Emma, but she was likely just about the only way I’d get Lenore to listen to me. A quick flash of my DEO badge got me a room number and a perplexed look from the front desk person, likely because of the fact that I was holding an infant. I stood outside the room, steeling myself to do something I probably shouldn’t have been doing in the first place. I knocked and a minute went by with no answer. I could hear the TV on inside and figured she probably saw that it was me and was attempting to ignore me. I knocked again, harder. She still didn’t answer. I kept at it, unwilling to go home without saying what I came to say. Finally, she pulled open the door so hard that it wobbled slightly under the force.

“I don’t have anything I want to say to you,” she said, planted in the doorway.

“You know she’s perfect, don’t you?” I asked, knowing I had only a few words to get her to listen. “She’s an amazing therapist. She helps veterans overcome trauma every day. She’s kind. She’s so smart. Like, genius smart. And she’d an incredible mom. Why can’t you see any of that? Why are you so focused on this one thing that you let it keep you apart?”

“You don’t understand,” she started.

“No. And I don’t think I ever could,” I replied.

“This isn’t what her life was supposed to be,” she argued.

“What’s wrong with her life?”

Someone walked by, then, and I could tell that Lenore wasn’t one to want others knowing her business even though, as James just revealed, she was adamant about being in everyone else’s. She sighed, backing up and pulling open the door. I went into the room, somehow feeling more awkward than when I’d been standing in the hallway.

“Listen to me. If she chooses to live this way-”

“She didn’t choose to live this way. Why would she when it’s cost her so much? She didn’t ask you to come, because she knew you never would. And I think she’s one of the strongest women I’ve ever met because she doesn’t need you. She wants you in her life, but she’ll be fine if you’re not. And I’m always gonna be there to make sure of that,” I said.

Lenore was hard to read, but she was definitely upset by the possibility of never seeing her daughter again. I tried my hardest to understand her point of view, but I was just like Kelly in that regard. There was no world in which I’d ever feel this way toward Emma. I wasn’t sure how it was even possible to feel something like that for your child. 

“Look, sometimes it takes time,” I started. “But you’ve missed so much of it already. You really want your granddaughter to grow up not knowing you?”

I caught her wiping away a tear and nearly breathed a sigh of relief, hoping I’d at least given her something to think about.

“Kelly and I used to be so close,” she said. “It just… It changed everything when she told me she was… gay. It was like she was a stranger.”

“Well, I just told you who she is. Doesn’t that sound like the girl you raised?”

“Better,” she nodded, sniffling.

“You want to hold your granddaughter?” I asked, knowing if that didn’t get her and Kelly to talk, nothing would.

“What’s her name?” she asked as I handed her over.

“Emma.”

“That’s beautiful. She’s beautiful,” she said, looking over Emma’s face.

“Kelly gave birth to her, you know. I’d show you pictures but, well, it’s a long story,” I said as she sat down on the couch in the corner of the room. “And no pain meds, either.”

“I don’t know how she managed. My epidural was barely enough,” she said.

I figured it was Kelly’s place to tell her more about Emma’s birth story if they ever got to that point, but I pulled out my phone, sitting next to Lenore on the couch.

“This was when she was eight months along. She spent most of that month running to the bathroom because apparently Emma’s favorite place to sit was on Kelly’s bladder,” I said, showing her a photo.

I scrolled through a few more with her, trying to show her small pieces of the life Kelly had built. I wanted her mother to be proud of her, the way I always was. I hadn’t even realized how long we’d been talking until Kelly called. Since the screen was facing Lenore at the time, she saw ‘Babe’ printed across it, above the answer button, and I felt a small flush on my cheeks as I stood up to take the call a few feet away.

“Where are you?” she asked when I answered.

“Downtown. Thought you could use some quiet,” I replied, softly. “Do you want me to bring you something for dinner?”

“No. Just come home, please,” she said, sounding groggy still.

“Be right there. Love you,” I said.

“Love you, too,” she replied.

I hung up, taking the few steps back to the couch. 

“I better get home,” I said as Lenore stood from the couch.

“She doesn’t know you came,” she said, kissing Emma’s cheek before handing her to me.

“Of course not,” I replied, a laugh sneaking out. “Anyway, um, Kelly hasn’t picked out a dress yet. She’s supposed to have a fitting next week when James gets in. Maybe you can work things out with her before then. I know it would mean everything to her if you were there.”

She nodded noncommittally and I sighed before heading to the door, saying an awkward goodbye. Emma and I just listened to music on the way home, giving me some time to process. Lenore was conflicted. There was no doubt that she loved Kelly. But, to her, accepting Kelly’s homosexuality was going directly against beliefs she’d held her entire life. It wasn’t going to be a quick fix, even with the angelic granddaughter greasing the wheels, but I hoped that in the future, Lenore could be part of our family because that was what Kelly wanted. The pain of the rejection always kept her from voicing it, but it was definitely more obvious today when she was suddenly forced to confront it. 

“We’re home,” I said, finding Kelly on the porch with a mug of tea.


	22. Making Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex's risky visit to Lenore finally yields results. There is a sex scene at the end of this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with the story. I'm not sure how many more chapters are remaining, but we are definitely nearing the end. If you enjoy the update, please leave kudos and/or comments. You have no idea how much they boost my mood. I'm trying to get back to regular updates so hopefully there will be more work up soon. Thanks for reading.

I sat down next to her on the porch swing and she set down her tea on the table beside her so that she could take Emma. She held her as we swung gently. It was nearly dinner time by now and I was about to go make something, but I wanted to spend some time with her first.

“How was your nap?” I asked, putting my arm across her shoulders.

“I still feel exhausted,” she replied, sighing.

“Well, we can go to bed early. Let me just get us something to eat first.”

“I’m not hungry,” she said, shaking her head.

“Okay,” I replied, not wanting to push her. “I’ll make something quick for Emma, then.”

I gave her a kiss on the forehead on my way to the kitchen. I made a sandwich for myself while Emma’s chicken nuggets crisped in the air fryer. I leaned against the counter, looking out the patio door as I just watched her. Clearly, she wasn’t okay and I wouldn’t expect her to be. I just wished I knew what to say or do to help her. I’d gotten so lost in thought that I jumped slightly when the timer dinged behind me. Emptying the basket onto a small plate, I grabbed the ketchup and squeezed some next to the four nuggets. The door to the patio was still open, so when Kelly heard me moving Emma’s high chair to the table, she came inside. I left the plate on the table for a minute so they could cool down while Kelly buckled her into the seat.

We sat on either side of her while she ate, and I reached across the table to hold Kelly’s hand. If I couldn’t think of anything to say, I could at least provide some comfort in this way. Her thumb stroked the back of my hand and she smiled a little before it flickered away. It wasn’t long before Emma finished, and became impatient with being stuck in the chair. I cleaned her hands and face picking her up and bringing her into the living room. We sat on the floor, some of Emma’s toys attracting her attention, while Kelly sat on the couch behind me.

“You want to put on a movie?” I asked her, turning my head in her direction.

“Sure. But no more Frozen,” she pleaded.

“Agreed,” I replied as she scrolled through the list of Emma’s favorites.

As soon as The Little Mermaid was playing, Emma mostly forgot about her toys, eyes following Ariel’s flailing tail. I got up to sit on the couch, holding Kelly close. Her warmth against my body kept most of my attention, the calm rise and fall of her chest also on my radar. It was just after eight when the movie ended so we put Emma in her crib before going into the bedroom. I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep for a few hours still, but I wanted to be here to cuddle close to Kelly while she got some more rest. We stayed in our usual position for a while, Kelly facing the door and me against her back with an arm around her waist. Thoughts were still rushing all around my mind, the most prevalent of which was whether or not I’d made the right choice to go see Lenore. 

It wasn’t me wanting to fix things. I knew that despite her pain, there was still a possibility that she wouldn’t be able to face Kelly. All I really wanted was for her to know that Kelly wasn’t ‘bad’ just because she was gay. I was confident that Lenore knew that somewhere deep within herself and, maybe if she heard it out loud, it would be enough for her to understand that things didn’t have to be this way. The moonlight coming in through the window was plenty to see her clearly when she turned in my arms to face me. I quickly corrected my expression, not wanting her to ask what I’d been thinking about. Instead, she inched closer, pulling me the rest of the way to her lips.

What began as a calm kiss goodnight, rapidly became heated. She pushed her body more firmly against mine before getting me onto my back. It was a distraction, but I didn’t fully understand it. She could have easily pretended to be asleep, ignoring everything for now if that was what she wanted. While it was an incredibly effective redirect, most of the time, I couldn’t give in to it. Despite the subtle movement of her hips, I tilted my head just enough to separate our lips.

“As much as I enjoy a good diversionary tactic… don’t you think we should talk?” I asked, afraid it might push her away.

She ducked her head before shaking it from side to side.

“What is there to talk about? Nothing’s changed,” she said, meeting my eyes again.

“Look, I don’t know the whole story of what happened, and you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. My only concern is making sure you’re okay. And, right now, you’re not okay.”

She sighed, moving back to her spot beside me, facing me this time. 

“I thought a million times about what it would be like to see her again. For her to come to me and tell me that she loves me and it doesn’t matter that… But this scenario never came up in my mind. I mean, after all this time, she still feels that way. Why can’t she just love me like she’s supposed to?” 

Her voice was trembling and I could already see the glistening tears at the corners of her eyes.

“And now, because of all this, Emma’s not going to know her and it just breaks my heart to think that I’m the reason for that,” she added, barely able to speak by the end of it.

“You’re not,” I assured her right away. “I know things are complicated, but none of that is your fault. All you’ve ever done is be who you are and I love you for that. Maybe someday your mom will see that, too. But, if she doesn’t, that’s on her. I’m just sorry that it hurts you so much.”

“Well, things will go back to normal now, at least,” she said, resting her head against my chest. “She’s probably already on a plane back home.”

“Normal, huh? That’s a good one,” I said, rubbing her back.

“I meant normal for us,” she replied, releasing a small laugh.

Not knowing when or if Lenore would take my advice was more than a little anxiety-inducing. Any moment, she could knock on the door again and create another whirlwind. Even if everything went perfectly with their next interaction, there would still be tears. Lots of them. But maybe, at the end of it all, Kelly could have the love she deserved from her mother. My mind was still firing a million thoughts and the onslaught didn’t stop until long after Kelly was asleep in my arms.

The next morning, I got up to make breakfast and coffee. Kelly ambled up to the to counter as I was buttering the last couple pieces of toast. She wrapped her arms around me from behind, without saying a word, and kissed my shoulder. The tension in my stomach was replaced with warm comfort from the delicate touch. I turned in her arms, hugging her silently for several long seconds before kissing her on the forehead. Emma, who was clearly already a morning person, had been playing nearby while I was cooking. Upon hearing some of her blocks falling to the ground, Kelly went over and picked her up, planting kisses all over her face. I finished plating the food and brought everything over to the table.

“Hope you’re hungry,” I said to Kelly, mostly to gauge her mood.

“Starving,” she replied, sitting at the table with Emma on her lap.

My shoulders relaxed at the answer, especially with the smile on her lips. For the next few minutes, the sound of silverware against plates dominated the space. Kelly sipped her coffee, closing her eyes as the liquid brought her more to life. Emma reached to Kelly’s plate, picking up a small chunk of fruit and shoving it into her mouth. Her enthusiasm further broke the remaining tension. The relief lasted all of five seconds before there was a knock on the door. 

“I’ll get it,” I said, getting up from my chair and looking through the peephole. 

When I saw that it was Kara, I opened the door.

“Morning,” she said.

She looked anxious and she hadn’t called or texted that she was on her way.

“Hey. Come in. We just finished breakfast, but there’s still some left over if you’re hungry,” I said, stepping aside so she could enter.

“Actually… I just came to give something to Kelly,” she replied, averting eye contact.

She opened her bag, pulling out an envelope that was stuffed with tri-folded pages and sealed.

“What’s this?” I asked when she handed it to me.

“It’s from her mom. I told her she should give it to Kelly herself, but… I don’t know. I don’t think she’s great at talking about her feelings. That’s the impression James always gave me when he would talk about her,” she replied. “Anyway, I’ll text you later to see how she’s doing, okay?”

“Thanks, Kara,” I replied, hugging her before she left.

When I shut the door, I turned to see Kelly moving the empty dishes from the table to the sink. My heart pounding, I approached her, clutching the envelope in one hand.

“What did Kara want?” Kelly asked, coming back around the counter.

I held up the letter.

“It’s from your mom,” I said, hesitantly.

Her pose became defensive immediately, like it had been most of the day yesterday. She took a deep breath, hesitantly taking it from me. 

“I can take Emma to the park if you want to be alone,” I said, seeing how affected she was before even opening it.

“What if it’s her telling me that she never wants to see me again?” she whispered, voice quivering.

“I don’t think she used half a ream of paper to say that,” I said. “But you don’t have to open it.”

“Well, what if it’s the opposite?” she asked, struggling with what to do with the pages.

“It could be,” I replied, hoping my meeting with Lenore did the trick.

“Will you read it?” she asked, holding it between us.

“I don’t know if I should,” I said, knowing the contents were meant for Kelly’s eyes only.

“Please?” she asked.

“Okay,” I agreed, seeing the need in her expression. “Now?”

She nodded. I unsealed the envelope, clearing my throat. There were about ten lined pages, with beautiful penmanship, all stapled together.

“Baby girl,” I started.

Just the intro had Kelly reaching to steady herself against the kitchen counter. I cleared my throat to continue, trying to read ahead slightly so that I could prepare for what her reaction might be.

“Keep going,” she nodded as I watched a tear descend her cheek.

I sighed and continued my task.

“For the last decade, I’ve been walking around with a part of me missing. You. And that’s my fault. When you were little, I always told you that I didn’t care about anything but your happiness. I meant it when I said it. I still believe that. I was selfish, putting my own comfort above your feelings. I know you might never understand, but I was afraid of people finding out. I didn’t want to be alienated. You know how it is here. Everyone knows everyone in this town and I was afraid of the isolation. More than that, I didn’t want anything to happen to you. I’ve seen the way people are treated here when they’re different. That wasn’t something I wanted for you.”

I had to pause from reading because the heaviness of it was already causing my heart to hurt for Kelly. I looked up to see her wiping her tears on the sleeve of her t-shirt. I felt like I was going to cry, too, but she needed me and this was the least I could do for her. I swallowed back my own emotion and pushed forward.

“You’ve always been the brave one in the family. Obviously, you get that from your father. For a long time, I didn’t understand why you’d choose such a difficult life. Why you would make things so much harder for yourself. You weren’t like all the people in my life who sacrificed parts of themselves to make it easier for everyone else to accept them. I see you now, though, surrounded by people who love you for being exactly who you are. And if these strangers can do that, there’s absolutely no reason I shouldn’t be able to do the same. Last night, when…”

I stopped reading, seeing that the next word was my name. 

“What’s wrong?” Kelly asked, worry bringing her eyebrows together.

“Nothing. Just…” I struggled to confess, unsure of how she’d react to the information.

“Alex,” she pressured.

“We, uh, we should probably talk before…” I started, before Kelly pulled the pages from my hand.

Her eyes scanned back and forth and when she got to where I’d left off, I watched her carefully. I swallowed hard, unable to take a breath as I waited for her reaction. Long minutes passed as she continued and only the sound of her flipping to the next page broke the silence.

“You went to see her?” she asked. “With our daughter?”

I nodded, not even knowing what I could say to defend the action at this point. I knew even before I did it that it was a terrible idea.

“Why?” she asked, setting the papers on the counter and crossing her arms over her chest.

“I just… I hated that her idea of who you were was so wrong. Even if she still decided to go back home, I needed her to know what kind of person you really are.”

“How could you go see her behind my back?” she asked, the hurt in her voice making my stomach knot.

“I just wanted to defend you,” I answered.

“I didn’t ask you to do that,” she spat.

“I know. But I’d do it again. I love you and I don’t care that she’s your mother. The things she said to you when she came over… I wasn’t going to let anyone think that way about you, Kelly.”

“So, you lied to me,” she said.

“I was downtown,” I countered.

“Okay. No big deal, then,” she replied sarcastically.

“Babe, I’m sorry. I didn’t do it to hurt you,” I said, taking a step toward her.

“I don’t have a lot of people in my life that I can trust,” she said, pulling away from me. “You’re supposed to be one of them.”

The words knocked the wind out of me and my lungs felt cramped behind my ribs.

“I am. Kelly, you know who I am better than anyone on this Earth or any other one. The only reason I didn’t tell you was because it would have hurt you. I can deal with you being upset that I went there and talked to her. But if she left anyway… I didn’t want to get your hopes up that it was going to change her mind because that wasn’t why I went there.”

She was about to say something, but shook her head, remaining silent for another long moment.

“You should take Emma somewhere for a while,” Kelly said eventually.

She wouldn’t make eye contact with me and instead picked up the letter before going into the bedroom and shutting the door. I sighed, frustration taking over. I went to Emma’s room to get a few things before picking her up and heading out the door. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand Kelly’s reaction. For one thing, I was upset that I’d been blindsided. If I was going to tell her, it shouldn’t have been this way and I wondered briefly if Lenore had intentionally tried to drive a wedge between us. Just because I seemed to have gotten through to her, it didn’t mean that she was ready to welcome me into her life that she was trying to restart with Kelly. I started driving toward Kara’s, figuring she’d be expecting me at some point today.

“That was fast,” Kara said, taking Emma into her arms right away.

“She’s probably still reading the letter,” I answered, trying to will myself to tell her what happened.

“It was a pretty thick stack,” Kara said. “She didn’t want you there? Like, for moral support.”

“I screwed up,” I said, only forgoing expletives for my daughter’s sake.

“What do you mean? What did you do?” she asked as we walked to the living room.

“I went to see Lenore,” I admitted, sitting down beside her on the couch.

“Alex, you didn’t,” she admonished.

“What would you have done? If you were in my situation and she showed up on your doorstep out of nowhere, saying things about the person you love more than anything in this world… Tell me you wouldn’t have done the same thing.”

She pursed her lips, unable to challenge it. She knew I was right.

“What if she doesn’t want to marry me anymore because of this?” I asked, voicing my biggest fear.

“She loves you,” Kara countered.

“She’s so upset,” I said, shaking my head.

“Of course, she is,” Kara replied.

I looked up at her.

“Kelly isn’t like you and me,” she began to elaborate. “She thinks about things. She plans things. There isn’t much that gets her to just react without thinking. Us, though… If acting without thinking was an Olympic sport, we’d be tied for gold. It makes sense that you’d want to stand up for her, but this isn’t some random person. There’s a whole lot of history there with her mom and, you know, maybe you should have stayed out of it this time. On the other hand… I’ve known Lenore a long time. She never would have written that letter if you hadn’t said whatever you said to her.”

“Well, if she gets to have her mom back in her life-”

“Don’t even finish that sentence,” Kara interrupted. “It’s not a choice between you and Lenore. She’s mad. Can you blame her? But, she knows your intentions were good whether she ever says so out loud or not. It’s not the end. It’s a bump.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I’ve known her longer than you. If she was done… you wouldn’t be wondering. You’d know,” she answered confidently.

“How do I make it up to her?” I asked.

“Just follow her lead,” she replied.

I spent much of the rest of the day with Kara. I was constantly checking my phone, hoping to hear from Kelly because what I’d read from the letter was only the tip of a very large iceberg and I had no idea what else Lenore had written after throwing me under the bus.

“It’s getting late. Maybe I should text her,” I told Kara after dinner.

“Do you want me to take your phone away?” she challenged.

“I’m worried about her,” I replied.

“I know. But she asked you for space,” she reminded me.

I sighed heavily, putting my phone down on the table.

“I hate this.”

“It’s a lot for her.”

“Which is why I wish I could be there. And it’s my own fault I can’t be,” I said.

“You will be. When she’s ready for you to be,” she encouraged, rubbing my back.

It wasn’t until an hour later, when Kara and I were having a cup of tea at the table, that Kelly finally texted me.

“I’m gonna take off. Thanks for letting me crash here for the day,” I said, getting up.

“You want me to keep Emma tonight?” she asked.

“I didn’t bring any of her stuff,” I replied.

“It’s okay. I have a few things that I keep here for her,” Kara answered. 

“Okay. You sure?”

“Positive. You know I’ve been bugging you for another sleepover.”

“Thank you,” I replied, kissing Emma on the head and hugging Kara.

On the drive home, I didn’t even have the radio playing. The silence maintained the tightness in my shoulders. For one of the first times in our relationship, I didn’t know what I was supposed to expect when I walked through the door. I took a deep breath before going inside, finding her at the kitchen island with a glass of wine.

“Hi,” I said, cautiously stepping closer.

“Where’s Emma?” she asked, not giving much away about her disposition.

“With Kara. I hope that’s okay,” I answered.

She nodded, taking a few more sips of her wine without saying anything. 

“I’m not happy about what you did,” she started after a while. “But I can understand why you did it.”

I stayed quiet, not sure what to say because I still didn’t know how she ultimately felt.

“Whatever you said, though… Thank you,” she added, surprising me. “I’ve been waiting a really long time for my mother to say the things she said in that letter. No matter how I feel about you seeing her… Before, I thought she’d rather die than accept me. But you, in less than a day, made her question things she’d been feeling for years. That’s… I mean, it’s everything, Alex.”

“All I did was try to show her what I see,” I said, feeling my nostrils burn as I tried to hold back the tears collecting on my lower eyelids.

Kelly set her wine glass down, walking around the island that had been between us since I came through the door. Her nose and eyes were red and I wondered how much of the day she’d spent crying. Everything in my body was screaming at me to reach out and comfort her. I gave in this time, pulling her against me. She cried against my chest. Heavy, wracking sobs. I held her even tighter to make sure that she felt me there. She was releasing so much at once. Relief that things were turning around with her mother. Remorse for the lost time with her. Exhaustion from having spent so much of her life affected by it. There was so much in the wetness seeping into my shirt.

“I really hope you can forgive me,” I whispered against her hair.

“I can. If you can do something for me,” she replied, pulling away to look at me.

“Anything,” I nodded, wiping the tears from her cheeks with both hands.

“Promise you won’t do anything like this ever again. You’re the person that I trust to tell me everything no matter what. To say the hard things that have to be said sometimes. You can’t shield me from pain, Alex. And that isn’t what I want. I just want you here to help me through it. Can you do that?”

“I can absolutely do that. I promise,” I agreed, finally letting the tears go. “I’m sorry, babe. I’m really sorry.”

She kissed me slowly before holding onto me again. This time, I was content with the silence because having her wrapped up in my arms always made me feel that way. I took a few deep breaths, inhaling her scent and letting it relax me further. When she finally backed away, she went back into the kitchen to get some water. My throat felt dry now that I thought about it. 

“Did you want to talk about the letter?” I asked delicately, sipping from my own water glass.

“Actually, I went to her hotel a little while after I read it. She said in the letter that she was going to stay for a few days in case I wanted to see her,” she started. “We got to talk for a long time. I asked her everything I’ve wanted to ask her all this time. And it was really nice to be close with her like that again. I, um… I even told her about the day Emma was born. She couldn’t believe that I’d been through something like that. She cried a lot. I did, too.”

“It’s big stuff,” I agreed.

“Also… I invited her to the wedding,” she added.

“That’s great, babe. That makes me so happy,” I answered.

“You make me so happy,” she said, setting down her glass. “I just want to marry you already.”

“Well, that’s a relief to hear,” I said, exhaling. “After this morning, I was scared that you wouldn’t want to be with me anymore.”

“I can be angry with you and still love you, Alex. As long as you talk to me, and listen to me, we can get past almost anything,” she answered.

“I’m all ears. Just tell me what you need,” I replied.

“Right now, I just need you,” she replied, looking directly into my eyes.

She kissed me and I automatically pulled her closer. If there was anything good about arguing, it was definitely the makeup sex. But I forced my brain back into comfort mode because that was likely not her intention. I got back to enjoying the feeling of her soft lips and the urgency behind their movement. I was nearly out of air and was just about to pull back to breath when I felt her hands on my bare waist. I gasped at the unexpected contact, and took a few more deep breaths to ease the uncomfortable burning in my lungs.

“Take me to bed, babe,” she whispered, her hands flat on my chest.

I nodded, picking her up and feeling the wonderfully familiar warmth of her legs wrapping around my hips. The only reason my lips weren’t on her neck was because I needed to navigate us down the hall and open the door. I didn’t bother closing it since we were alone and I had better things to do with that two seconds. Her legs released my hips as I sat on the bed so that she was kneeling over me. I held her close by the backs of her thighs as we started kissing again. I slid my hands up her legs, traveling under her shorts to grip both cheeks. I could tell by touch that she was wearing her red, cotton panties with the so-thin-it-was-nearly-nonexistent waistband. The thought crossed my mind that it would be so effortless to snap the weak fabric with little more than a rough grip, but I had already decided to take my time to truly appreciate what I could so easily lose.

“I love you,” I said, bringing my hands back out from beneath her shorts.

“I love you, too,” she said, quickly wiping the tear that dropped down her face.

I felt the warm wetness on her hand when she held my face and kissed me. After a few seconds, she pulled back to take off my shirt. I lifted one arm at a time, using the other to keep her from falling back. Kelly gasped when I unexpectedly stood, holding onto her as I turned to lie her on her back. I unfastened her shorts, pulling them down her legs. For now, I allowed the panties to remain. I got rid of my pants before getting back on top of her, still more naked than she was. I kneaded my right hand into her thigh while holding myself up with my left forearm beside Kelly’s shoulder. I moved my hand higher, under her shirt, gripping her waist for a few minutes as I worked my hips languorously against her.

I felt the muscles in her stomach tighten each time she countered my movements. I leaned back to give myself enough room to take off her shirt and I dropped my mouth to her nipple, taking a second to find it through her bra. When she angled her chest closer to my mouth, I quickly unfastened my final barrier to her perfect breasts. Kelly relaxed back against the mattress as I slid the straps down both arms at once. Then, I sucked the closest nipple into my mouth, moving my tongue in swirls and flicks until it hardened. Switching to bring the other to the same state, I basked in her impatient moan. When I kissed between her breasts, I could feel her chest rise and fall with her heavy breaths.

I dragged my tongue the rest of the way to her bellybutton, kissing a path around it, moving lower with each wet peck. Each thigh had a wet streak of saliva from licking my way up to her underwear from each side. A few times, her hips left the bed, requesting more. I could tell by her body language that she was trying to calm herself down. To not let go too soon. It seemed like she really wanted this to last, too. I kissed between her legs, feeling the wetness soak through to my lips. Enthralled by the scent, I pressed the tip of my tongue out against the relenting fabric. She groaned and her breath quickened, but I was far from done with her so I didn’t go any further until she’d calmed down more.

Much slower than she would have liked, I started pulling her panties down her thighs, to her knees, past her ankles, and forgotten on the floor. I got out of mine in a much less graceful matter, throwing my bra aside with it so that we were both finally naked. Thought it had only been a few days since the last time, it felt so much different knowing that I’d gotten way closer than I ever cared to get to never having this with her again. With my face back between her legs, I pushed my tongue just past her swollen lips and followed the slick line up to her sensitive apex. My appetency to fulfill her made it that much harder to keep a slow pace. Despite my delays, her hips thrusted in that way that told me she was close. With every last ounce of willpower, I pulled away, hearing her displeased sigh. 

I adjusted my position so that I could be inside her, my lips on her collarbone. The discontinuous pulsing around my fingers was what held the majority of my focus. I stroked against her front wall at every opportunity, enjoying the corresponding quiver. Even though my mouth still tasted like her, she held me face still as her tongue pushed past my lips. Feeling the wet muscle searching that way briefly interrupted my pattern between her legs, but I quickly forced away the focus on my own arousal so that I could give her the relief that she was after. When I pressed my palm flat against her, our lips separated and she moaned unexpectedly. The back of her hand pressed against my wetness as she held my and harder against herself.

The motion also pushed my fingers slightly deeper and by now, she was much more vocal. When she removed her hand she wrapped both arms around my back, bracing for the rapidly approaching spasms. When her legs encircled my hips, the movement of my fingers inside her had just as much of an effect on me. Especially, with the speed of her own hips chasing each withdrawal. I was nearly certain I was going to come before her until I felt her gripping me and pulling even deeper. I didn’t stop until her legs dropped heavily to the bed. Slipping my fingers out of her, I moved one leg so that her thigh was between mine. I was so close to my own release, but knew that she was too sensitive to accommodate so with just a few perfectly pressured strokes across her smooth thigh, I stiffened. 

My fingers curled against her hip as hers caressed my scalp, enhancing the intense sensation. Once the last shudder buzzed through my body, I was overcome with exhaustion, resting heavily on top of Kelly. I enjoyed the thump of her heart and, as it slowed, I practically fell into a trance. With Kelly still stroking my hair, it would have been so easy to slip into a deep sleep right now. But I wanted to enjoy my time with her so I fought against the exhaustion. Getting into a less comfortable position to facilitate that, I rested my arm across her stomach. She held my hand running her thumb back and forth along it.

“What a crazy day,” Kelly said quietly.

“Probably some crazier ones coming now that Emma’s got another grandmother to spoil her.”

“I never thought I’d have all this.”

“Nobody deserves it more,” I replied, kissing her shoulder.

She rolled on her side to face me and started kissing me. Heat rapidly spread through my whole body as she got more into it.

“Again?” I asked, panting.

Kelly nodded.


	23. Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding gets closer and closer, but some other distracting feelings pull Alex's focus after a minor injury.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's really been a struggle to get into the writing zone lately so I hope this 7500 word chapter makes up for the long break. Enjoy! The next chapter will be the wedding!!!!

Over the next few days, Kelly spoke to her mom sometimes on the phone and sometimes through text. They even had lunch a couple of times, trying to spend as much time together as they could before Lenore had to fly back home. It was a huge relief to see Kelly getting something that she needed so badly all this time. Though, I still wasn’t sure where Lenore stood when it came to me, so I was not exactly looking forward to our first encounter after the letter. Kelly was able to get her to stay a little longer so that she could come to her dress fitting, relieving James of that task, and she was in the shower when the doorbell rang. My heart thumped in my chest as I walked toward the front door.

“Mrs. Olsen. Good morning,” I said, stepping back to let her in.

“You can call me Lenore, Alex,” she replied, coming inside. “I know I’m a little early.”

“Um, Kelly’s just in the shower. She should be out in a few minutes,” I replied.

“Good. I was hoping we’d have a chance to talk for a minute,” she said.

“Oh? About what?” I asked, feeling the nervous twisting in my gut.

“Listen, I’m sorry if telling Kelly about your visit caused problems. I really wasn’t planning to say anything about that, but… When you came to the hotel, you... you made everything make sense to me when I failed for so long to understand on my own. And because of that, I have Kelly in my life again. I can’t thank you enough for that. Believe me, I understand why you wouldn’t tell her. You didn’t know if it would change anything. But it did and so I felt she should know.”

The more she said, the more I was able to relax. Lenore didn’t hate me. More importantly, Kelly didn’t hate me. The slight tension in my shoulders remained only because of the awkwardness of the conversation. 

“I… That was a one-time thing. I don’t keep things from her. Ever,” I replied, not sure why I even felt the need to justify it.

“I believe you,” she replied, nodding.

“I was about to make a pot of coffee,” I said, desperate to talk about something else. “Would you like some?”

“Coffee sounds great,” she answered. 

I walked into the kitchen, Lenore following a few steps before spotting Emma playing nearby.

“You can pick her up if you want. She loves being held,” I said, wanting Emma to get more comfortable with Lenore and vice versa. 

She stood next to the bar stools, granddaughter in her arms, as I rounded the counter filling the carafe with water before scooping some coffee into the filter.

“You want to sit?” I asked.

“That’s okay. I’ll be sitting plenty today waiting for Kelly to get in and out of those dresses,” she replied, looking at Emma as she spoke.

My stomach fluttered at the thought. The stress of this overdue meeting nearly made me forget what an important day it was. She was getting a dress today. A dress to wear to marry me. I couldn’t hold back my smile and practically forgot that Lenore was even there as the sound of water filtering through the coffee maker brought be back to reality. 

“Mom. You’re early,” Kelly said, walking over and hugging her.

I reached to grab the cups from the cabinet. I got travel mugs out for the two of them, knowing that they’d be out the door in just a few minutes, and ceramic mug for myself. 

“I’ve been up for hours,” Lenore replied. “I’m excited for this. Well, not as much as you, I’m sure.”

Kelly’s smile was so wide that the corners of her eyes creased and she bent down to kiss Emma on one chubby cheek. I filled the cups, putting cream and sugar in Kelly’s out of habit before I screwed on the lid, sliding it over to her. Lenore just added sugar to hers, taking a sip to test the flavor.

“Ready to go?” Kelly asked, turning back to Lenore.

Lenore nodded.

“Thank you for the coffee, Alex,” she said.

“No problem,” I replied. 

Kelly came around the counter, kissing me on the lips unexpectedly. She lingered for a brief moment before pulling away.

“Thanks, babe. I’ll see you later,” she said. “I love you.”

“Love you, too,” I replied, feeling slightly awkward saying it in front of Kelly’s mother.

Kelly picked up Emma’s diaper bag on the way out and when the door shut and locked behind them, I let out a breath, now able to fully relax. I got ready for work, thankful to have a distraction from my roaming imagination. I tried to think about what type of dress Kelly would choose. Inevitably, I ended up thinking about what would be underneath it, too. We hadn’t even planned our honeymoon yet, but I didn’t really intend to explore much beyond our hotel room anyway. Those thoughts entertained me until I pulled into the parking garage at work and walked inside. 

The day passed smoothly enough until a couple of hours into my shift. I got a text from Kelly containing a picture message and I excitedly unlocked the screen, thinking I was getting a preview of the dress. When I opened it, though, there was a noticeable lack of a dress. It was a reflection of her in the full-length mirror, wearing only her underwear. I could see the curtain of the dressing room behind her and I was glad that I was alone because the photo caused and embarrassingly audible gulp as well as a petulant whine at the thought that I’d have to wait so many hours to get her alone. I was about to put my phone away, any moment now, when Kara walked in unannounced. My phone fell to my desk when I jerked in surprise and I picked it back up, struggling to lock it. 

“What was that about?” Kara asked, laughing at my flustered expression.

“Nothing. What’s up?” I asked, shoving the phone into my pocket.

“Oh, my god. Are you sexting at work?” she accused, mouth agape.

“No! I’m just… It’s regular texting,” I stuttered, face growing redder. “Why are you here?”

“Just came to see how everything’s going with Lenore. She was going with Kelly today, right?”

“Yeah. I mean, this seems to be exactly what Kelly needed. She’s even more excited about the wedding now that her mom is coming. I just still have that fear that Lenore’s going to get overwhelmed and she won’t come. It would be so devastating for Kelly. It’s a lot, you know. Her mom comes back out of nowhere, thinking she’s getting married to a man, and all of a sudden she’s in the front row at our wedding.”

“She loves Kelly, Alex. I know she hasn’t been there all this time, but I’m willing to bet that, at this point, she’s just so grateful to have her daughter back in her life. I really don’t think you have anything to worry about,” she tried.

“If there’s even a one percent chance of it happening, I’m going to worry about it,” I replied. “I’ll feel better when the day is here and she’s sitting there… and we get past the part about people objecting. Actually, maybe I should just have that part excluded altogether.”

“Wow. I haven’t seen you this freaked out since you found out Kelly was pregnant,” she laughed.

“And look what happened there,” I said, shaking my head and letting out a deep breath.

“What happened is that you saved Emma and Kelly’s life. I figured after that, you wouldn’t be afraid of anything anymore,” she replied.

“I’m not afraid. I just don’t want Lenore to hurt her,” I retorted. “Again.”

“She won’t,” Kara assured.

“You can’t know that,” I countered.

“But I believe it. And you should, too. So, why don’t you?”

“Because it can’t be this easy,” I answered without even thinking about it.

“Ah. So, that’s it,” Kara started. 

“If it was always this easy, then the last decade of them not speaking was for nothing.”

“She wasn’t ready to accept it before,” she replied.

“So, why all of a sudden?”

“Because of you, Alex. Because you fought for her. More than that, you let Lenore see how much love you have for Kelly. How much she means to you. And how unconditional it is. I think you’re underestimating what it meant for her to see that.”

“Did I ever tell you you’re a pretty good sister?” I asked, quickly wiping away a tear.

“Pretty good?” she scoffed.

“Okay. Great. Awesome. Phenomenal,” I acquiesced.

“That’s what I thought you said,” she replied, stepping over to the desk to hug me. 

A warning siren broke the serenity of the moment and I got up out of my chair.

“What’s going on?” I asked, taking long strides over to the main control panel.

“There’s a disturbance in the Northeast sector,” Brainy started. “Unusual seismic activity has been reported.”

I quickly gathered a team, receiving a more detailed briefing en route. The shifting earth had been caused by a small gang of aliens who used the chaos to clear a three-block radius. Based on the minimal research we had on their species, it was likely a territory dispute with at least one other local gang. We’d know more once the threat was successfully contained. The captures took time because of the constantly rumbling ground beneath our boots. As I approached one of the targets, a rock jutted from the surface, harshly wrenching my ankle. I fell, rolling to take cover behind the rapidly growing protrusion. Unable to pursue anyone in this state, I crawled toward the SUV, thankful for the two-foot-high dust cloud that obscured me.

Once they were all contained, my teammates helped me into the vehicle before speeding off toward the DEO. I pulled off my boot and rolled my sock down to the arch so that I could assess the damage. Wincing, I slightly rotated the joint. It was stiff and bruised, but was definitely no more than a sprain. I sighed in relief, knowing that an actual break would make a significant difference in the reprimand from my future wife. It was such a humiliating injury, especially when the doctor in the med bay insistently leaned crutches against the bed.

“Come on. Are these really necessary?” I asked.

“Only if you want it to heal,” she answered, obviously used to dealing with headstrong agents.

I sighed, adjusting the padded metal under my arms. I left as quickly as I could muster in my condition. When I got home, Kelly’s car was already there. I groaned audibly, still dreading the look of worry I knew I’d get. As soon as I opened the door, I saw that she wasn’t alone. She was in the kitchen cooking and Lenore was on the barstool as they talked. Kelly stopped speaking mid-sentence, already looking me up and down. She rushed over and I braced myself as I closed the door.

“What happened?” she asked, stroking my cheek and searching for other signs of injury.

“Just a sprain,” I said. “The crutches make it look worse than it is.”

“Sit down on the couch. I’ll get you some ice.”

“Babe, it’s-”

“Alex,” she interrupted in a tone that meant no backtalk.

“Okay,” I replied, following her instructions.

“Mama,” Emma said, waddling over to where I was sitting.

“Hi, Em,” I said, scooping her up into my arms to cover her face with kisses.

“I love you,” she said when I released her.

“I love you, too,” I said.

Looking up, my eyes met Lenore’s as she approached the recliner nearby.

“What happened to you?” she asked, grabbing one of the pillows from the couch.

She set it on the coffee table and gestured for me to put my foot up.

“Oh, you know. Just stepped wrong,” I said, technically telling the truth.

Kelly’s face told me that I’d be going into detail later as she gently set the icepack over my elevated ankle.

“Please don’t worry,” I said, making eye contact with Kelly.

“We’ll talk about it later. Dinner’s almost ready,” she said, going back to the kitchen.

I dropped my head back against the couch and let out a deep exhale. Cartoons were playing on the TV so Emma adjusted, leaning back against my chest as she watched.

“So, Kelly said you’re in law enforcement,” Lenore started. “It’s a pretty dangerous job, isn’t it?”

I knew better than to take the question at face value.

“I have a lot of very specialized training,” I assured her. “I always do everything in my power to come home in one piece.”

“You must really love it,” she replied.

I glanced over to the kitchen, seeing that Kelly was occupied and not paying attention.

“If she asked me to, I’d leave in a second,” I said with total sincerity.

“But you know how she must worry,” she said.

I looked back over, focusing this time on Kelly’s expression. The muscles in her face were tight, eyebrows drawn together in frustration or thought or both. Lenore was right and she didn’t even know exactly how right she was. She didn’t know anything about Kelly’s deceased fiancé. I let out another breath, considering Lenore’s words. They were simple enough. It made me understand more about my last conversation with her. Much of what I’d said to Lenore in her hotel room that night was not anything she didn’t already know. But hearing the words come out of someone else’s mouth… I got it now. I hated making Kelly feel like this and, whether I wanted to admit it or not, it was even worse with a child.

“The food is ready,” Kelly said, saving me the work of figuring out how to respond to Lenore.

She took Emma and I lifted myself from the couch with the help of my new, very temporary accessories. I sat in my usual seat, propping my leg up on the empty seat to my right. Kelly sat to my left and her mother was across from her. Emma’s high chair was nestled between her mom and grandma. 

“So, how was the fitting? Did you find something?” I asked, stabbing a few green beans with my fork.

“I did, actually,” she answered, not elaborating.

I was going to ask follow-up questions but suddenly remembered the photo Kelly had sent earlier and got lost in that thought for a few seconds. I took a sip of water, pushing the image out of my mind as I swallowed because Kelly’s mom was just a few feet away and I could feel my cheeks flushing already.

“It’s perfect,” Lenore added when Kelly didn’t say anything else.

“Well, I can’t wait to see it,” I replied, looking at Kelly who didn’t look up.

After dinner, Lenore prepared to head back to her room. Her flight was leaving in the morning and I knew for Kelly it felt like it was way too soon.

“I wish you didn’t have to leave,” Kelly said, hugging her tightly at the door.

“I’ll be back next month, baby girl. I already booked a room for the whole week before so I can help you with all your last-minute things,” she said, wiping tears from Kelly’s cheek.

“A room? Why don’t you stay here with us? It’ll save you money and we could use the help with Emma with all the chaos,” Kelly replied.

“You, you don’t mind?” she asked.

“No. Please. Stay,” Kelly answered.

“Okay, then. I’ll see you soon,” she said, kissing Kelly on the cheek.

“Call me when you land tomorrow,” Kelly insisted as Lenore gave Emma a few more hugs and kisses.

After assuring Kelly that she’d call, Lenore left and I prepared for the energy shift in the room. Emma rushed back to the couch, gaining impressive speed as I briefly became suspicious of a newly developing superpower.

“So, are you going to tell me what really happened?” she asked calmly, crossing her arms.

“Things got a little… earthquaky. I tripped on a rock. It was stupid,” I answered.

“I hope you don’t think that makes me feel better. You injured yourself with a rock? That’s not even close to the worst thing you encounter on a daily basis,” she replied. 

“Babe, it’s a sprain. I don’t even consider it an injury. It’s barely worse than a bruise.”

“I hate this. This feeling in the pit of my stomach that never goes away,” she revealed.

She said it mostly to herself, but the words burrowed themselves inside of me. I hated to think that she always felt this way. That every time I left for work she worried that I wouldn’t come back. 

“I wish I knew what to say,” I replied, completely at a loss. 

“I know it’s selfish of me. Because you save lives. People and aliens and-”

“You’re not selfish,” I interrupted, shaking my head.

“I just hate it so much when you get hurt,” she replied, new tears forming.

I pulled her against me, holding her until the tightness in her body relaxed somewhat.

“You know, I’d really rather talk about that picture you sent me earlier,” I said.

She sniffled, her body shaking against me as she laughed. Pulling out of the embrace, I caught her eyes tracing over the crutches again.

“I’m fine. I swear,” I said, determined to tell her as many times as she needed to hear it for her to know that it was true.

“You didn’t… you didn’t get injured because you were… distracted. Did you?”

“No,” I assured her immediately. “Although, Kara did walk into my office while I was looking at it. Don’t worry. She didn’t see it.”

Kelly’s mortified expression faded into one of relief. I got back into my earlier position on the couch and we spent the next couple of hours watching a movie until it was time for Emma to go to bed.

“Stay here,” Kelly said, carrying her to the room.

I turned off the TV, enjoying the barely audible sound of Kelly reading to Emma. It was so soothing that I almost fell asleep, too. The subtle throbbing in my ankle made me want to take off the brace and, since we were about to go to bed anyway, I slid the tight elastic down my foot going as slowly as possible. There were impressions in my skin from the texture of the brace and I sighed in relief as the joint relaxed. When I tossed it onto the coffee table, I leaned back and slightly stretched my foot from side to side to test my range of motion, pleased to find that it had already improved drastically. I knew it would be stiff in the morning but that was tolerable. A few minutes later, I heard the door to Emma’s room click shut as Kelly walked around the side of the couch.

“She’s out already?” I asked.

Kelly straddled me, careful not to bump my leg.

“She’s had quite a bit of excitement today. I think she’s actually worn out,” she answered.

“I’m glad she’s been able to see her grandma. It’s just too bad she lives so far away,” I replied.

“Yeah. I’m just so happy that we’re finally making new, positive memories together. I mean, having her there at the fitting was just… It was such a wonderful feeling, Alex.”

“Well, I’m sure it meant just as much to her,” I replied.

With one hand on my cheek, Kelly kissed me. She leaned back slightly in my lap and I held her by the waist for added support. I wasn’t sure what to expect because there were so many possible trajectories, given everything she was probably feeling after the last few days.

“Do you know how much it means to me that you’re here to help me through all of this?” she asked, dropping her hand from my cheek to my shoulder.

“I’ll always help you. With anything,” I said.

Her lips attached to mine in response. My hands, that had been on her waist, slipped down to intently grip her hips. The dull throbbing in my ankle was barely noticeable when I focused on the other sensations. Every few seconds, Kelly pulled me deeper into the kiss until her tongue finally breached my lips. This had become somewhat of a routine. I’d get injured, Kelly would worry, we’d talk about it, and then we usually ended up in bed. I didn’t have to be a therapist to understand her need to test my vitality after constantly being forced to confront the fragility of life. Still, it wasn’t something I’d thought would happen tonight. Not with all of the other thoughts and feelings dominating her this week.

She started tugging on the bottom of my shirt and I leaned forward to help her pull it off, along with my bra. Her thin shirt allowed me to feel her warmth on my skin, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Our lips were already joined again so, for now, I just explored under her shirt with my hands. After a few minutes, I unhooked her bra so that it would be easy to take it off along with the shirt once we broke for air. She pushed her hips forward and I felt the coarse denim rub against my lower stomach. I lifted my ankle off of the pillow, setting my foot flat on the ground so that I could be more comfortable. With a firm hold on her backside, I shifted her closer, roughly. The moan that escaped caused her to pull back from the kiss and I used the opportunity to finally begin undressing her.

“You’re so beautiful,” I said, kissing the skin that was now bare.

Her hands were on my shoulders and her head was tilted back as I continued appreciating her chest and neck. Pulling one nipple into my mouth, I simultaneously unbuttoned her jeans.

“That feels so good, babe,” she said, bringing one hand up to hold my head in place.

“Stand up,” I whispered, losing patience with her jeans.

Carefully, she dismounted, glancing down toward my swollen ankle. To refocus her, I pulled the pants and underwear to her feet in one brusque movement. She stepped out of them and I impatiently pulled her back into my lap. 

“Don’t you think we should take this to the room?” she asked, closing her eyes as my hands roamed over her body.

“It’s too far,” I panted, sucking on the nipple I’d ignored earlier.

“Well, if you’re too injured to make it to the bedroom, then maybe you’re too injured to have sex,” she said.

I wasn’t sure if she was serious or if she was teasing, but the fact that she hadn’t pulled away was telling.

“I just meant it will take too long,” I smirked, not hesitating to dip my fingers into her wetness.

Since my pants were still on, I had much less contact than I wanted, but Kelly was enjoying herself so it was entirely worth it. With the slickness I’d acquired, there wasn’t much friction to stimulate her so she began rocking her hips more insistently. It still wasn’t enough so I reached a few inches inside of her with two fingers. She moaned, gripping one shoulder as her face pressed against the opposite one. I kept my other arm around her waist, knowing that in just a few moments her movements would be much less precise. I planted my lips between her breasts, sucking on the salty skin as she continued to search for release. My pants were already becoming stained as she dripped down my wrist and as it soaked into the fabric, the warmth made me lose every last ounce of restraint. 

“Okay. Okay,” I said, nodding and halting my fingers.

“Okay, what? Why are you stopping?” she asked, gripping me with soft spasms.

“I want more,” I said, pressing my palm against her for minor relief.

She pulled back and soon my fingers slipped out of her as she got on her knees on the floor. Her lips landed repeatedly on my stomach as she worked to undo the button and zipper on my pants.

“Wait. Fuck,” I breathed, fighting to finish my thought through the erotic sight of her lips so close to the waistband. “I didn’t mean… I just think you’re right. We should go to the room.” 

“Okay. Here,” she said, leaning over to pass me my crutches.

I followed her quickly to the room, noting how odd it felt to be using them without a shirt on. When I got close to the bed, I leaned them against my nightstand, pulling my pants down to my thighs before sitting on the mattress to finish the job. Kelly climbed on top of me once I was finished and settled on my side of the bed.

“Better?” she asked, her hips dropping until my wetness was met with hers.

“Oh, fuck. So much better,” I whispered, grabbing the backs of her thighs a bit harder than I meant to.

Her hair brushed along my neck and shoulder as she kissed me. When she pulled back, I tried to shift closer to the middle of the bed but, completely forgetting about my ankle, I stiffened. With Kelly’s face so close to mine, it was hard to hide the discomfort, although I successfully kept the pained groan from escaping.

“Maybe we should stop,” Kelly said, the worry appearing more obviously once again.

“No. Come on. Please. I just forgot about it. That’s all. You know, because it’s so minor,” I replied, trying to erase her hesitation. “Babe, I want you.”

She softened at the words, allowing herself to sink back into the moment. When her body pressed more heavily against mine, I nudged my hand between us, intent on getting her back to where she was before we left the couch.

“You’re so fucking sexy, you know that?” I asked, feeling her hips push toward my hand.

Times like this, when I was injured, I found it especially important to tap into my more dominant side. Reminding Kelly of my strength and stamina was sometimes the only thing that could completely distract her. So, while Kelly grinding on top of me like this was one of my absolute favorite positions, I carefully but swiftly flipped her onto her back. I leaned to the right, opening the drawer of Kelly’s nightstand to retrieve her vibrator. Her hips pushed up impatiently at the sight and I crawled backwards down the bed, not wasting any more time. Nudging her thighs apart with my palms on her inner thighs, I could see and smell her so clearly. The delicious scent pulled me closer and with a pointed tongue, I gathered a decent amount of the wetness, finally tasting her.

It was only a light swipe, leaving Kelly wanting much more if the wriggling of her hips was anything to go by. I picked up the vibrator that had rolled to rest against her hip. The tip slipped easily along her and the plan was to lubricate the silicone, but when she pushed closer and two inches slipped easily inside, it was clear that she was more than ready for the entirety of it. I got comfortable on my stomach, the toy unmoving inside her for the moment. Once settled, I licked softly along her lips, the side of my tongue brushing the protruding silicone. She gasped and I smiled, feeling how her clenching muscles moved the vibrator slightly against my cheek as my tongue continued its path upward.

The swollen, pink flesh beckoned my lips to surround it, receiving guttural praise from my soon to be wife. The position of my hand was not the most comfortable, but I had a good enough angle to begin moving the toy in and out of her effectively. I started slow but, finding no resistance, I quickly picked up the pace. My tongue swirled greedily across the still captured flesh and her sounds were just as addictive as her taste. The more involved her hips became, the tighter her grip on the vibrator. Turning it on to the lowest setting, Kelly cried out, immediately grabbing at the back of my head with one hand. The rest of her sounds were muffled and I glanced up to see that her hand was over her mouth.

Usually we didn’t get quite so carried away with Emma in the house, but the roughness and intensity was what we needed right now so I didn’t let up. Keeping a fast but steady pace inside of her, I turned the vibration one click higher. Her whole body began shaking and the flutter of her thighs against my shoulders drew my focus. The shaking transformed into fixed stiffness and I pushed the toy in against the force of her tightening walls. When I’d managed to get it in all the way to the base, I felt the hot slickness on my hand as it was forced out around the penetrating silicone. There was quite a bit of it which gave me a rush of pride. I pulled out of her when she’d fully come down and she dropped both hands above her head, crossed at the wrists. I placed the vibrator on my nightstand as I climbed up to lie on my side next to her.

“Wow. Nothing clears my head quite like that,” Kelly said after a minute.

“Happy to help,” I replied, teasing one fingertip across her stomach in no particular pattern.

Now that the room was quiet again, I couldn’t help thinking about the fact that I wasn’t taking an active role in helping Kelly heal like I promised. It was probably the most important promise I’d ever made and I was fucking it up.

“Maybe now I can help you,” Kelly said, noticing how distracted I was.

I’d been so lost in thought that I didn’t understand what she meant for a second. Then, I gasped when I felt her fingertips scratching lightly down my stomach. I rolled onto my back and she shifted closer, teasing her fingers through abundant wetness. It was effective in halting my thoughts for now and I lifted my hips to ask for more. Her middle finger dipped inside of me and she slowly pulled out, gently curling the tip to add another dimension to the stimulation. After a few identical thrusts, she inserted a second finger. In the periphery of my awareness, I felt her eyes lingering over each detail of my face. It made me self-conscious, realizing how truly vulnerable I was. She was the only one I’d ever be able to do that with. When she pressed a single, wet kiss into my neck, I completely let go.

Her fingers stayed deep, rubbing along my walls in short thrusts. She moaned against my neck, feeling how much I constricted around her. As my orgasm lingered, I felt Kelly’s hips shifting closer, pressing her wetness against my outer thigh. Entirely due to that, I hurdled into a second orgasm that I was not prepared for. The spasms were out of control and Kelly caused more to ripple through me with each subtle pulse of her fingers. If I wasn’t the one experiencing it, I’d have never believed that I could be so completely undone with just two fingers. There was smugness hidden behind the contentment in Kelly’s expression and it was well-earned. I pulled her into my side, causing her to rest her head on my chest, wrapping one arm and leg around my waist.

“I’m going to stay home from work tomorrow,” Kelly started, pushing my sweaty hair back. “So, I can take care of you.”

“Actually, I’m working tomorrow,” I said, already seeing her on the verge of protesting. “From home. Just some paperwork stuff.”

She relaxed.

“I’ll stay anyway,” she replied. “I can cook for you and make sure you switch out your ice packs.”

“How about you just keep me company?” I asked, not wanting her to think I was helpless.

“I can do that,” she agreed.

The next morning, I got up earlier than Kelly, determined to get a head start on work so that I’d have more time for play. Emma wasn’t awake yet either and the cup of coffee on the desk next to me was the lifeline I needed to break through the quiet morning. Once I got started, I stayed in the zone until I heard some noise in the kitchen. It sounded like Kelly was awake. I looked at the clock and saw that I’d been at this for two hours already. My coffee was empty and I turned my chair, about to get up for more when Kelly knocked on the door. I stood and opened it, seeing her on the other side with a small plate of toast in one hand.

“Is that for me?” I asked, stepping back so she could come in.

“I hope I’m not bothering you. I just wanted to make sure you ate something,” she replied.

“Thank you,” I said, taking the plate from her and setting it on the desk. “And you’re not bothering me at all. In fact, I was just about to go get some more coffee.”

My hands went right to her waist, but began migrating toward the smooth softness of her exposed thighs. Damn, those shorts were short. Just as one of my thumbs slipped under the hem, Emma rushed into the room, clinging to Kelly’s calf as she attempted to stop. I quickly moved my hands to a more appropriate area and my hot, flushed skin cooled rapidly. Then, Kelly picked Emma up, securing her in one arm. 

“I’ll get your coffee,” she said, picking up my mug with her free hand.

I smiled at her and stretched as I opened the next folder beside my computer. Kelly set my refilled coffee on the desk beside my plate and gave me a peck on the lips before closing the door on her way out. My stomach growled and I paused during my third time rereading the same entry and took a few bites. I felt better almost immediately and my ability to focus was restored. The muffled sound of the TV in the background was barely noticeable as I flipped through page after page. I kept going at a steady pace until the first hint of a migraine stung behind my eyes. I leaned back, blinking as the time in the corner of my screen came into focus. It was already lunch time so I finished the current entry before taking a much-needed break. I noticed right away that the rest of the house was quiet.

I walked out to the kitchen, not bothering to use my crutches. As long as I kept most of my weight on my heel, there wasn’t too much discomfort. When I put my mug in the sink, I saw Kelly and Emma outside. I smiled, watching them play for a few minutes before going to the sliding door. Noticing the movement out of the corner of her eye, Kelly turned her head toward me, getting up from where she was sitting in the grass.

“Hey, babe. Taking a break?” she asked, stepping closer.

“Yeah. I was going to make a sandwich. You want me to make you one?” I asked.

“That’s okay. Emma and I had lunch a little while ago,” she replied. “We just came outside a few minutes ago.”

“Okay. Be right back,” I said, going back into the kitchen.

It took me just a couple of minutes to make my sandwich and put everything away. I walked outside with it, wanting to spend at least a few minutes with Kelly before going back to finish up. I sat on the swing, wanting to take my weight off of my foot. Emma had streaks of dirt and grass on her pants, but she was having the time of her life roaming every square inch of the yard. Kelly sat on another swing beside me.

“I think it’s about time,” she said.

“For what?” I asked, taking another bite of my sandwich.

“I know she’s still just a baby, but she needs to learn how to control her powers. Soon, we won’t be able to keep up with her. I think she needs Kara,” Kelly explained.

“I thought we had a lot more time,” I said, sighing.

“Me, too,” she replied.

“After the wedding?”

“I don’t think another few weeks will hurt,” she said, pushing her feet into the dirt to get her swing closer to mine. 

She kissed my cheek and I closed my eyes to focus on the feeling.

“Just four weeks until mimosas and room service,” I said, struggling with the slow passage of time. “Well, I better get back. I want to finish before dinner so we can cuddle or, you know, whatever else happens.”

“Do you ever think about anything else?” she asked, laughing and shaking her head.

“Rarely,” I said after contemplating for a second.

I kissed her on the lips, bending to pick up Emma so I could cover her with kisses, too. Then, too soon, I was back in my office. I was nearly done with my work but, with Kelly outside, it was the perfect time to take care of something I’d rather she didn’t know about yet. I’d only just decided yesterday because of everything that had happened. I felt like she wouldn’t understand and that she’d think I hadn’t thought it through. The truth, though, was that it wasn’t sudden at all. It was a continuous train of thought that cycled through every time I got hurt and Kelly worried. That’s why I took the opportunity of total solitude to call J’onn. After just a few rings, he picked up.

“Don’t be upset,” I started.

“What happened?” he asked, concerned.

“J’onn, I don’t want to let you down. I really don’t. I know you chose me to do this job because you believed in me, but… I think it’s time that I started to look for something a little less dangerous.”

“I can understand that. But I thought that was one of the things that excited you about this line of work.”

“It was. It is. It’s just that every time something bad happens… J’onn, I hate seeing that look on Kelly’s face. That fear. That worry. And there’s nothing I can do to assure her that I’ll be fine because there’s no way to know that and I just-”

“I don’t blame you, Alex. I left, too. How can I be upset at you for wanting to do the same? I think it says a lot that you’re willing to give up something you love to give Kelly that peace of mind.”

“I should have done it a long time ago,” I replied, shaking my head. “I’m going to give them my two weeks as soon as I find something else. I just wanted you to hear it from me. Hear my reasons. Because I know this is important to you.”

“Not as important as you are,” he replied.

“Thank you. For everything. I’ll see you next week for game night, right?” I asked, trying not to sound like I was crying.

“I’ll be there,” he said.

We hung up and I took a second to reflect on my decision before getting back to work. I got distracted trying to think of what kind of job I’d do. I never thought leaving the DEO would be a consideration, but being with Kelly made me think and do a lot of things I never thought I would. Despite my continued distractedness, I finished around four and walked out of the office with a lot more energy than I had going in. Emma was curled up in Kelly’s lap on the couch and they were watching a movie. They hadn’t seen me yet so I leaned over the back of the couch, giving Kelly a peck on the cheek. She jumped, her hand going to her chest.

“Sorry.”

“No, you’re not,” Kelly replied, amused. “All finished?”

“Yup. I’m yours for the rest of the day,” I answered. 

She smiled, but it was only a flicker before it was gone.

“Will you keep an eye on Emma while I start dinner?” she asked before I could say anything about it.

“Love to,” I said, getting down to lie on my stomach beside her.

When she noticed me, she reached out, handing me the toy she’d been playing with. I took it from her and she leaned forward to pick up another one. Every few minutes, I glanced up at Kelly, trying to get a sense of how she was feeling. Things were still going to be… different, at least until the wedding but likely long after. For some reason, it made me think our conversation in Midvale a while back. It could be exactly what we needed. Starting our new life together somewhere else. Somewhere quiet. Away from all the violence and coldness of the city. The idea was even more appealing now, after the last few days. The slight bruising of my ankle wasn’t the only lingering effect of my most recent injury. I didn’t want to bring it up yet, though, because there was enough to think about from now to the wedding and I didn’t want to add anything else to Kelly’s plate. When we could finally focus on it, after the honeymoon for sure, I’d bring it up.

After three weeks of work and finalizing wedding details, Lenore returned to National City. For the first few hours of her return, Emma received a majority of her focus. Kelly watched their interactions and I watched Kelly, enjoying the serene smile that had been scarce during the past few hectic weeks. The rehearsal was just a few days away and I accepted with certainty that my stomach was going to feel like a giant knot until after the ‘kiss the bride’ part. It kind of made me wonder why I ever thought it was a good idea to have my soon to be mother-in-law stay with us right before our wedding. Still, I felt better having her here.

Kelly was going through photo albums on the couch, Emma in Lenore’s lap, when I received a call to go to the DEO. Somewhat grateful for the excuse to have some time alone, I hurried to the car, taking my time during the actual drive. As soon as I arrived, I was directed to a conference room with a handful of my superiors. It seemed so ominous, especially considering that I’d made them aware of my plan to change career paths.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice, Director,” said General Lawrence. “Don’t look so worried. It’s good news… we hope.”

I hadn’t realized how much my stance and expression had been revealing, so I relaxed, dropping my hands to the side.

“Look, I’ll get straight to the point. We all think that you’re a terrific agent and an inspiring Director. And while I understand your need for a less lethal career, that doesn’t mean you have to be entirely divorced from the DEO.”

“I don’t understand, sir,” I said, impatient for him to clarify.

“You have significant and valuable medical knowledge and training, especially concerning the alien population. In fact, that was what we wanted you for to begin with. But, if I recall correctly, it wasn’t enough excitement for you,” he elaborated, smirking.

I couldn’t help but return the smile, having remembered the conversation just as clearly.

“Well, maybe now that’s a little more my speed, General.”

“So, you’ll consider it?”

“I will. Can I have until next weekend to decide?”

“Of course. Take your time,” he replied.

Just like that, the fantasy of moving to Midvale deflated in my mind as it seemed likely that I wouldn’t even be moving to a different building. Otherwise, though, it was what I wanted. Less danger, still helping, practically the same pay… There was really no reason not to take it. I really only asked for time to decide so that I could tell Kelly after the wedding. Even though all of my reasons for waiting were legitimate, I also felt like telling her now would provide her with some relief. She’d no longer have to hold her breath wondering if I’d walk through the door at the end of the day. I wanted to give her that so badly, but just as badly, I wanted to wait until after we had the perfect wedding that she more than deserved and we finally had time to be really alone and discuss it. For now, I tried to be satisfied with the fact that, at least, I had a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos and/or comments if you enjoyed the newest chapter.


	24. The Aisle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Kelly finally have their wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I know it's been about a million years since I posted last. I want you all to know how much I appreciate you reading my shorts and keeping up with my multi-chapter pieces. This update is 8k words so I hope that slightly makes up for my long absence. I do still have plenty of story ideas and I'm hoping that I'm finally out of my funk long enough to make some of those happen.
> 
> Your comments and kudos really make it so worthwhile so please leave a comment. Especially if this chapter makes you cry. Lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and I hope that it was worth the wait. I've really missed posting frequently and engaging with you all. <3

“God, this is the longest week in the history of weeks,” I grumbled.

Kelly and I were lying in bed and the comment was provoked mostly by the fact that Lenore’s presence had severely limited the physical side of our relationship over the last few days. As a result, I was always some odd combination of stressed, horny, anxious, and excited. 

“Can’t disagree with you on that,” Kelly answered, letting out a sigh.

“You, um… You still want to, right?” I asked, trying not to let my voice falter.

During the three weeks that Lenore was gone, Kelly had been constantly distracted. It was an extraordinarily busy time with so many balls still in the air. That, combined with her reunion with her mother, was more than enough to explain it, but it seemed like there might be something else going on. And I would have bet money that she’d thought about her late fiancé at least a dozen times since she agreed to marry me. It would have also been safe to assume that those thoughts only increased as the day approached.

“Why would you ask me that?” Kelly asked calmly.

She adjusted her position so that she was resting on an elbow, face hovering over mine. It was dark, but there was just enough moonlight filtering in for me to be able to see her pretty clearly.

“I just feel like you’ve been really in your head lately. All that thinking and not talking… It just worries me,” I admitted, unable to continue looking at her.

“You don’t have anything to be worried about,” she replied.

I looked at her and was comforted by the sincerity in her expression. Taking in a deep breath, I felt my shoulders relax on the exhale. Using her position to her advantage, Kelly bent forward and pressed her lips to mine. They stayed there and I finally reacted, turning on my side to get closer to her. A simple kiss had already sent a hot flush through my whole body and I meant to pull back at any second, but Kelly pushed me back into my previous position and climbed on top of me. Her knees pressed into the mattress on either side of my hips, causing me to sink slightly. That was when I weighed my options. Having a heated make out just three nights before our wedding, when my soon-to-be mother-in-law was only one wall away, was risky to say the least. 

A few minutes would be fine, though, and I was desperate for contact since we’d felt somewhat disconnected for the past few weeks. Her warmth was the second most overwhelming sensation as her tongue pushed eagerly past my lips. I focused as much of my consciousness as possible on staying quiet because I was always a fraction of a second from vibrating her lips with a pleased moan. It became exponentially more difficult when her hips pushed forward, the pressure forcing a sound this time. I turned my head to break the kiss, biting my lip even though it was too late. At the same time, my hands held tightly to her hips, preventing her from making any additional movements.

“Okay, we should stop,” I panted, not wanting to risk anyone hearing us.

“That’s what you want?” she asked, kissing my neck and sucking lightly.

“Of course, that’s not what I want, but your mom is-” 

“Then I guess you’ll just have to be really quiet. Can you do that for me, my good girl?” she interrupted.

Kelly was the only one who ever managed to turn me on so much with just words and those ones in particular were effectively enticing. I swallowed and closed my eyes, trying to soften the intensity of my reaction.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly.

“Well, maybe I can help,” she answered, flirtatiously.

I was confused, but she promptly began removing her panties before returning to her previous position. Through my shorts, I could feel the increased heat due to the more direct contact. There was no opportunity to savor it, though, because Kelly had an additional command.

“Open your mouth.”

I obeyed, feeling the soft fabric brush against my lips as it became bunched up into a ball in my mouth. I moaned at the taste of her wet panties and she smirked as the sound was effectively muffled. 

“Better,” she teased, before pulling off my shorts.

Having to breathe mostly through my nose, I squeezed my eyes shut to focus. Each groan and whimper was captured in the now soaked cotton which I was thankful for as her lips skimmed down my body. She crawled back until her knees were at the edge of the bed before settling on her stomach. Being gagged made me realize how often I talked during sex, either breathy words of encouragement, expletives, pleas, or incoherent syllables. So, instead of speaking my appreciation, I lifted my hips closer to her teasing tongue. Her touches were so light that it was barely better than nothing at all when it came to relieving some of the deep ache and I couldn’t even beg. My hands were still free, though, so I wrapped one gently around the back of her neck and encouraged greater pressure.

I was immediately rewarded with a deep probing of her tongue and each time she dipped inside of me, I felt myself grasping at it, hoping to keep it trapped. After several days without this sensation, it seemed impossible to last. Even when she began to speed up the wet flicks of her tongue, though, I still wanted to touch more of her. In fact, it was more of a need, especially since we wouldn’t be sleeping in the same bed tomorrow night. It was our last opportunity for a moment like this before the wedding. Against the burning urge to do the opposite, I allowed my hips to land back on the bed, relaxing under her. She looked up in time to see me removing the panties so that I could tell her what I wanted.

“I need to feel you,” I whispered, my mouth slightly dry.

Kelly gave one last open-mouthed kiss to the soaked flesh before crawling up toward me. When she was close enough, I guided her right knee from its spot beside my hip to the warmth between my legs. I wanted to take her shirt off, but settled for working a hand under it in case we were interrupted. Bending my leg at the knee, it pressed firmly against her and I was surprised that she was so wet from just a few minutes of going down on me. Part of a moan made it through her parted lips before I pulled her into a kiss to absorb the rest of it. I kept kissing her, sharp and desperate inhales intermittently coming from both of us. There was a degree of excited urgency that guided our hips against each other. It was balanced by the intimacy that came from knowing this was our last time together as an unmarried couple.

My hands slid up and down along her sides in an effort to distract myself. What I really wanted to do was hold onto her hips and encourage a faster pace, but that certainly would not be quiet and I was already paranoid about the small creaks coming from the mattress. 

“Fuck. Right there, baby,” Kelly whispered against my neck.

“Yeah? Does that feel good?” I asked, finally giving in and gripping her backside with both hands.

The firm pinch of her teeth in the flesh of my shoulder was more than enough of an answer and it had an unexpectedly intense effect. I bit my lip so hard that it nearly bled because if I didn’t, there was no way I’d be able to look Lenore in the eye tomorrow. Her muscles jumped and shook under my fingertips as she began to give in fully. I kissed her again and when my tongue breached soft lips, she sucked on it lightly. I was unprepared for it and a rippling, tingling sensation flooded my body. Her soft whine tickled my lips as her whole body trembled noticeably. I held onto her tighter so that she was pressed against me for the duration. One of her hands wrapped around my shoulder, the grip increasing as she continued rocking in arhythmic thrusts. 

There was an obvious trickle meandering down my thigh to pool in the crease where it met my hip. The profuse wetness dripping down to the bed was what finally triggered the onset of my own uncontrollable spasms. My arms wrapped around her back as I focused solely on the insistent press of her thigh. I pushed up against it several times, noticing without surprise that it took quite a while for the intensity of the sensations to fully fade. Catching my breath was nearly impossible now that we’d already resumed our kiss. Even though it was slow and tender, my lungs still burned with the need for more air. 

“Be right back,” Kelly said with a final peck on the lips. 

I instantly felt cold when Kelly got up to go to the bathroom. The light stung my eyes a little at first before I could follow. It only took a minute for us to get cleaned up and changed before crawling back into bed, finally exhausted enough to get some real sleep.

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to sleep without you tomorrow night,” Kelly said once she was snuggled against my chest.

“Well, between the rehearsal dinner and the bachelorette party that Kara won’t tell me anything about, you probably won’t be getting much sleep anyway,” I replied.

“Do I hear a hint of jealousy?” Kelly asked, amused.

“Jealous? Just because you’re probably going to have half naked women rubbing against you all night? Pfft,” I answered.

“And you’re doing what, again?” she asked, teasingly.

“I’ll have you know, future wife, that we are doing an escape room.”

“Hmm. Now, _I’m_ jealous,” Kelly replied.

“You should be. James, Brainy, J’onn, and I are going to beat the record,” I answered confidently.

“There’s no doubt in my mind,” she replied just as certainly before leaning up to kiss me.

After that, we let ourselves be lulled to sleep by the sound of wind and crickets.

Late the next afternoon, the house was filled with energy as the four of us got ready to go to the rehearsal dinner, even though we were a little worn out from the wedding rehearsal. I packed an overnight bag since I was going to be staying at Kara’s place. She was likely going to spend the night here with Kelly to help keep everything on schedule. Since she was the only one who wouldn’t be hung over, there was no one better suited to the task. I went through the mental checklist several times as I put things into the car and it did very little to distract me from the constant excitement of what was to come. Most people made it on time and we spent a few minutes introducing Lenore to those who hadn’t had a chance to meet her yet before we got started. 

She and my mother sat next to each other at the table and seemed to get along really well, spending much of the evening engaged in conversation. The dinner was already far more relaxed than the wedding rehearsal had been earlier in the day and I enjoyed having all of my family and friends together. As the hours went by, I dreaded having to say goodnight to Kelly because even though it was only one night, I hated sleeping without her next to me. There was very little that was traditional about our wedding so I wasn’t sure why this particular one endured, but I couldn’t be mad at the fact that the first time I’d see Kelly tomorrow, she’d be walking toward me in a wedding dress. 

After dessert, my mother went to Kara’s where she’d be spending the night with me. Everyone else split up into either Kelly’s party or mine and I still had no idea where my fiancée would be all night. I met her eyes across the room and I was about to walk over to say goodnight, but Lenore stopped me. She was going to be keeping an eye on Emma tonight at our house so I figured she wanted to check in before everyone parted ways.

“So, you ready for tomorrow?” she asked.

“I’ve been ready,” I answered.

“Do you think…” she started before pausing and shaking her head.

“Do I think, what?” I asked, encouraging her to continue.

“I just wondered if maybe, tomorrow, I could say something. I don’t want you to feel obligated. It’s just that she’s my only little girl, you know?”

“I think Kelly would like that very much,” I replied, nodding. “And thank you, by the way, for your help with Emma and for being there for Kelly. It means a lot.”

“To me, too,” she replied, one hand going to my shoulder. “Here. Why don’t you say goodnight to your little girl so I can go get her into bed.”

She easily transitioned Emma from her arms to mine and I fixed her messy hair with my free hand. Her eyelids were already drifting shut and I knew she would probably be out before her grandma buckled her into the car seat.

“Goodnight, Em. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” 

I kissed her forehead and she yawned as I handed her back to Lenore. 

“Now, I’m going to say goodnight to my daughter. See you tomorrow, Alex,” she said, before smiling and walking toward Kelly.

Kelly walked her out to the car and I was waiting for her by the door when she came back inside.

“Hey,” I said, taking her hand.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be good,” she said, smirking.

“It’s your party. You don’t have to be good,” I replied. “In fact, your first lap dance is on me.”

I opened my wallet, handing her twenty dollars, ignoring the disbelieving shake of her head.

“I don’t want to leave,” Kelly said, taking a small step closer.

“Me either. Wanna ditch them and have our honeymoon early?” I asked.

“Don’t tempt me,” she answered.

I was about to kiss her, but noticed that nearly everyone in the room was watching us, obviously or not, so I took her hand and brought her to the back exit. It was a warm night and the street was quiet.

“Now that we have some privacy…” I said, taking her hands and leaning in again.

Her lips were soft, as always, and there was the light taste of champagne on her tongue. I didn’t want to stop, but they’d come looking for us if I didn’t so I forced myself away after a heated two minutes. 

“Have a good time tonight, okay?” I said, still holding her hands.

“I’ll have a better time tomorrow night,” she answered, making it even harder to let her go.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she replied before heading back inside.

I waited to follow because I wanted to make sure she was gone before I joined my party. James rented a limo for the night so we had another glass of champagne on the way.

“But after this, no more alcohol until after the escape room,” I said as James passed the glasses around to everyone. “We’re on a mission. And no powers. I want to win fair and square.”

“Yeah, yeah. You told us the rules already,” James said, laughing.

When we got there, we had to leave our phones in a lock box in the lobby. It made me somewhat uneasy because I didn’t like the idea of not being able to be reached in an emergency, but J’onn assured me that he gave the number for the escape room to Kelly and both of our mothers so I relaxed a little and handed over my phone. Once the one-hour timer began, my mind was fully occupied with searching for clues and it was nice to actually have a worthy distraction for the first time in a while. As I predicted, our team was superior at locating and interpreting the information and we made it through to the second portion of the room without much issue. Part of my strategy was to completely ignore the ticking clock because the more I thought about how much time I had left, the less I’d be thinking about the hints.

This was a more than sufficient outlet for my boost of adrenaline and as we fumbled with the lock on the final door, it had reached its peak. Almost immediately, we were congratulated on beating the best time by nearly two minutes. To celebrate, we had more champagne in the car on the way to a downtown bar where we planned to have a few drinks and wrap up the night. I wanted to text Kelly, but James caught me.

“You guys really can’t go a few hours without talking, can you?” he teased.

“I so can,” I scoffed, putting my phone back in my pocket after a few tries.

“There is a 98% chance that that is a false statement,” Brainy said.

“Rude,” I replied, nudging him through their laughter.

Once we were dropped off at the bar, we found a table outside and I liked that it was much quieter than most of the other places nearby. 

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” J’onn asked after the first round.

“Nervous? No. Just excited,” I answered, already hearing the alcohol’s effect on my speech.

“I’m really happy that my sister has you, Alex,” James said, gently gripping my shoulder.

“Don’t,” I started, holding up a finger.

“What?” he asked, confused.

“I don’t want to cry. You’re gonna make me cry,” I replied.

“Don’t worry. I’m saving the rest for tomorrow. So you can cry in front of everyone you know.”

“Thanks?” I replied, sipping my drink.

“Don’t mention it,” he said, patting me clumsily on the back.

After so many drinks, we ambled to the limo and Kara’s apartment was the first stop.

“Get some sleep,” Brainy said when the car stopped.

“Night, guys. Thanks for everything. You’re the best,” I said before getting out.

They didn’t drive away until I was inside and my mom was still awake.

“Mom, it’s late,” I slurred.

“I wanted to make sure you got in safe,” she said getting up.

She guided me to the couch and I plopped down onto it, resting my head back and closing my eyes.

“I’ll get you some Advil and a glass of water,” she said.

“Thanks,” I said, tiredly.

“I hope you didn’t overdo it. I don’t want you to be sick on your wedding day.”

“I’ll be fine,” I replied, sitting up when I felt her next to me again. “Thank you.”

“Did you have fun?” she asked as I downed half the glass of water.

“I did. First place,” I mumbled.

“Why don’t we get you to bed? I brought your suitcase up.”

“I can just sleep here. You can have the bed to yourself,” I insisted, especially because I was already pretty comfortable.

“Come on. Get up or you’ll regret it in the morning.”

I whined, but obeyed and I changed in the bathroom, which required much more effort than usual, before practically falling into the bed. Reaching for my phone, I winced at the brightness before adjusting it to the lowest setting. It was almost two in the morning and I wondered if Kelly was still out. 

“Aren’t you tired?” my mother asked as I scrolled through social media to see if they posted any pictures.

“Jus’ wanna make sure she’s alright. She hasn’t texted me,” I replied.

I sent her a simple goodnight message with an enthusiastic acknowledgment that I’d see her tomorrow. I didn’t want to take her away from the party, but I needed to remind her how much I was looking forward to it.

“I’ve thought about this day a lot, you know,” my mom said as I set my phone back down.

“Not quite like you pictured, huh?” I asked, still nervous about how she felt after all this time.

“I couldn’t think of anyone better for you,” she said.

The combination of my drunkenness and her sincerity caused tears to streak down the sides of my face, uncomfortably wetting my ears as I let out a deep, relieved sigh. I was glad that it was dark, but she probably knew anyway.

“You know, after this whole thing with Kelly’s mom… Thank you for being here for me. I mean, it already meant the world to me, but to see my fiancée not have that-”

“I’m always going to be here for you, Alex. And for Kelly and my granddaughter,” she replied, rolling over to hug me.

I hugged her back and was so comforted that I fell asleep in that position. At some point, I must have rolled over onto my stomach because that was how I woke up and I was sore from not having moved all night and a somewhat disoriented from waking up in Kara’s room. I turned over and saw that my mom was already out of bed and probably in the kitchen. I reached for my phone and was disappointed to see that there was no response from Kelly. I sighed, blinking a few times to get a clearer look at the time. It was after ten and the bright light coming in through the curtains was making the pounding in my head much less bearable. The soft air coming from the overhead fan sent a chill over my clammy body as I got out of bed to search for medication. Once I acquired the pills, I found my mom in the kitchen filling a glass of water. She passed it to me and I gratefully accepted it, drinking half of it in one breath.

“Did you sleep okay?” she asked, blowing on her steaming mug of coffee.

“Apparently,” I replied, rubbing my stiff neck.

“Want me to make breakfast?” 

“I don’t think I can eat,” I answered, resting my elbows on the counter. “I just want to see her.”

“Patience. Two more hours. You better go get ready. Kara says they’re already at the venue so I can take you home now.”

“Oh. So, she’s up already?” I asked, rhetorically.

“Everything okay?” 

“Yeah. Just… I haven’t heard from her.”

“Well, I’m sure she’s been busy, sweetheart. And your sister probably took her phone anyway. She can be a little over the top when you put her in charge.”

“Yeah. You’re right,” I replied, shaking my head to clear the anxious thoughts.

When we got to my house, I got into the shower and took my time dressing myself. It was a relatively simple tux, but tailored to absolute perfection. For just a hint of color, the inside was lined with deep red satin. The slacks were tapered, showing off my new favorite oxfords. While buttoning the second to last button on my collared shirt, I met my mother in the living room. 

“Oh, Alex. You look beautiful,” she said when she saw me approaching.

My cheeks pinkened at the compliment and my shoulders released some of the tension that came from the fear that she may not approve of the more masculine attire.

“Need some help with that?” she asked, indicating the bowtie hanging from my hand.

“Please,” I said, handing it over.

She picked up my shirt collar, adjusting the long strip of fabric behind my neck. I was looking up toward the ceiling so she could see better, but looked back to her immediately when I heard her sniffle.

“Mom? What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing,” she replied, wiping her eyes. “Nothing. This is just everything I’ve ever wanted for you. And I’m just so happy I get to be here to see it happen.”

“Me, too,” I agreed. “But you have to stop crying because I really don’t have time to fix my makeup.”

The levity effectively produced a laugh from her and she touched my cheek affectionately before continuing to work on my tie.

“There. Ready?” she asked.

I nodded, swallowing hard as the realization of how close this all was hit me in an instant. The drive was quiet and the road noise was actually soothing. The venue wasn’t far away and as soon as we pulled up to the building, I was overwhelmed with the knowledge that Kelly was already here, less than an hour from meeting me at the end of the aisle. 

“Hey, you’re here!” Kara said, rushing over. “You look amazing!”

“Thanks,” I replied, as she hugged me too tightly.

“Why do you look like you’re going to puke?”

“Because I might,” I answered. “Why aren’t you with Kelly?”

“Relax. James and Lenore are in there. I just wanted to come check everything out one last time.”

“Ah. I see. You just don’t want to be in the room with Lenore,” I smirked.

Kara scoffed in reply and my mother looked back and forth between us.

“She keeps hinting for me and James to get back together. It’s very awkward,” she replied, crossing her arms.

“You should,” my mother and I said at the same time.

She raised both arms before dropping them to her sides in a dramatic show of exasperation before walking off.

“They will,” my mom said to me.

“Oh, yeah. Definitely,” I said as we went to the room reserved for me to wait.

I took in the details of the building again as we walked, still in love with the dark wood and open aesthetic. It was nothing like a church, closer to a fancy banquet hall. We liked the convenience of having the wedding and reception in the same area and there was plenty of space for our 200+ guests. There was an echo from my mother’s heels and we walked diagonally across the massive dance floor. Since I had done all the work of getting ready at home, I found myself in a position where all I had to do was wait. I fought to sit still, my foot wanting to tap rapidly to force out some of this anxious energy. It felt very much like time was on pause, but fast forwarded rapidly when it was finally time to get in place.

Excitement and anticipation spiked higher with each passing minute. It was compounded by the fact that, apparently, we were running behind. I checked my watch again and rationalized that no wedding in history started on time. After a solid quarter of an hour, though, my excitement crested, beginning the terrifying freefall into stressed panic. Kara, from her spot behind me, offered to go see what was going on. I nodded, unable to say anything as my thoughts raced. When she didn’t return a few moments later, I decided I had to go see for myself. As soon as I got within a few yards of the door, I saw James and Kara talking in a hushed tone to one another but they stopped as soon as they heard me coming.

“What is it? What’s going on?” I asked, hurrying to prepare for the worst.

James looked away while Kara took a tentative step forward.

“Um, she… she isn’t coming out of the room,” she said delicately.

The succinctness of the statement didn’t give it any less weight and my eyes were suddenly blurred with the tears that had already formed.

“Well, did she say why?” I asked, knowing my voice sounded as small as I felt.

They both shook their heads side to side.

“Uh, why don’t you guys go back out there and stall,” I said, trying so hard not to break down just yet.

“Of course,” Kara said, rubbing my shoulder before she and James walked down the hall.

Alone now, I took a few steps closer to the door and leaned both palms against the frame as I searched for the courage to knock. As soon as I did, she responded, barely audible.

“James, I told you… I need a minute. Please,” she said.

I could tell she was crying and it made it even harder to fight against doing so myself.

“It’s me,” I somehow got out.

It was starkly silent for a moment before I heard the door unlock, but she didn’t open it. Taking a deep breath, I turned the knob and went inside. I could see some of the train of her dress from behind the changing curtain to where she’d retreated.

“Can we talk?” I asked, not approaching.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“About what? Come out here, please. Talk to me,” I urged.

“It’s bad luck for you to see me in my dress,” she answered.

I’d have laughed if I wasn’t so afraid of my world crashing down around me.

“I think it’s worse luck for the bride to not show up,” I said, walking around the thin divide and seeing her for the first time in too many hours.

Her eyes, nose, and cheeks were red and wet but she was stunning. Her dark hair was neatly styled, swept to one side and covering her collarbone. Detailed, lace flower designs overlaid a layer of white satin, giving it more dimension. When she swallowed hard, her necklace caught my attention, shimmering brightly.

“Babe, you look beautiful. So, so beautiful,” I said out loud but more to myself.

Her tears paused briefly as she smiled.

“You, too,” she replied before dabbing at her tears with a tissue.

I took her hand because I just wanted to feel her skin against mine and it grounded me enough to say what I needed to.

“You know, it’s… it’s still okay if you don’t want to get married, Kelly.”

“I want to get married. Of course, I do. I just don’t know… I don’t know if you should marry me.”

“Why would you say that?” I asked reflexively. 

“I just…” she started, but shook her head instead of continuing.

“Did… did something happen last night?” I asked, trying as best as I could to prepare for that.

“No. Nothing like that,” she answered right away. 

“Okay. Then what?” I asked, feeling only slightly less tense.

“A few weeks ago when you got hurt at work-”

“You don’t have to worry about that anymore, okay?” I interrupted.

I was sort of relieved because if this was what had been bothering her then this whole thing was my fault for not telling her about the job offer sooner.

“I know,” she said before hesitating to go on.

“You know? How?”

“That first day when you were working from home… I came inside to get something and I overheard you on the phone with J’onn, telling him you were planning to leave the DEO.”

“I am. Well, I was. I’m actually staying with the DEO, but I got offered another position. I wanted to wait to tell you. I wanted today to be… Well, I guess I shot myself in the foot on this one,” I replied.

“Alex, you can’t do this for me.”

“I can. And I am,” I responded immediately and with surety.

“You’ll resent me.”

“Never.”

“Babe-”

“Not ever,” I interrupted. “You and Emma are way more important than any job will ever be. Besides, I’m still going to be helping. Just in a significantly less dangerous way. I don’t want you to be worried about me. You shouldn’t have to go through every day like that. I’m happy to do this, okay? Please, let me.”

Now, she seemed to truly hear it and her whole body seemed to deflate as taut muscles softened. She nodded.

“Now, will you _please_ come marry me?”

She nodded again before wrapping her arms tightly around me. The warmth of her against me drew out the moment a bit longer. I kissed her when we separated.

“See you out there,” I said, walking out of the room but not taking my eyes off of her.

James and Kara hurried over to me as soon as they saw me approaching.

“She’s ready,” I said to James. 

I saw the relief take over them and wondered if my expression showed the same. I certainly felt it. Despite the hiccup, things were underway again and I let the happiness and excitement gradually return. Having somehow wiggled my way out of one of my biggest fears, I stood much more relaxed in my designated spot. And even though I’d already seen the dress, my heart pounded harder when the music started. Now, witnessing it in its full glory, it was the same as seeing it for the first time. Kelly kept her steps slow, drawing out her progress with the music, but her eyes never left mine from the moment she came around the corner. In fact, I was only peripherally aware of James’ towering presence beside her.

When she and I stood face to face, I was barely paying any attention to what the officiant was saying. I couldn’t think about anything but how lucky I was and how important it was for me to never forget that. I didn’t snap out of it until the part where we put the rings on each other. Once we got to the vows, I felt that surely it was impossible to get through the entire thing when I was filled to capacity with so much emotion.

“Kelly… Falling for you took me completely by surprise. You made me forget my name for an entire three seconds and I haven’t been the same since then. You’ve given me the life I’ve always wanted and a family,” I paused, using the opportunity to catch my shaky breath.

I looked over to Emma who was fidgeting in my mom’s lap before looking back to Kelly and when I saw that she was crying too, I struggled to continue.

“I knew I was going to ask you to marry me a lot sooner than I actually did it. And as time went on, I never questioned that. The only question was why it took me so long. And I wasn’t the only one wondering that,” I replied, hearing laughter from the crowd.

Kelly laughed, too, and I got lost just looking at her for another few seconds.

“I’m so happy that we’re finally here and I’ve never looked forward to the rest of my life so much as when you became a part of it.”

There were more tears now than in the bridal suite and I was glad they were from joy this time because that was only thing I ever wanted to make her feel. I really wanted to kiss her and was displeased about having to wait a second longer for it. Kelly finished drying her cheeks with the back of her hand before she was able to speak.

“There were so many times that we could have met before we actually did. Like that Christmas break flight I planned to take to visit James that got canceled because of the snow. Or that time I came for Thanksgiving but you had a work emergency and couldn’t make it. Then, when we finally meet, it’s after a late flight and with my brother’s life on the line. Me falling in love with you was the very last thing I ever expected to happen, but I couldn’t be happier that it did. Especially, because I didn’t think it ever would again. Saying ‘yes’ when you asked me to marry you was the easiest decision I’ve ever had to make. So, I’m going to stop talking now so I can finally be your wife.”

I’d been crying since she started, but the last part really got me going. Our vows were short and sweet, just like my very-soon-to-be wife. I hadn’t been so anxious for the ‘kiss the bride’ part since we started. To his credit, the officiant was quick to finish and my lips were on Mrs. Danvers-Olsen before he finished the last word. Containing the kiss was the most difficult part, especially given the stress of half an hour ago and the fact that, before that, I hadn’t seen her in a day and a half. With applause and cheers surrounding us, we walked toward the exit, taking a minute to ourselves outside before the photography session. At this point, I didn’t even want to go to the reception because all I could think about was getting a head start on our honeymoon. I gave her a much less audience appropriate kiss and we didn’t stop until the doors opened.

“Are you ready for pictures?” the photographer asked. “Oh. I’ll give you a minute to… touch up.”

“You have lipstick on your face,” Kelly whispered when she saw my confused expression.

My cheeks flushed likely the same shade that was now on my lips and I rushed inside to the bathroom to clean it off. As I looked in the mirror, I wondered if the deep flush in my cheeks would go away by the time the photo session started. I hurried back out to get us on schedule for everyone’s sake. I never thought I’d spend an entire hour taking pictures, but Kelly assured me that we would be thankful to have them years from now and I couldn’t disagree with that. The longer I had to stare at her gorgeous face, though, the more impatient I became. A small eternity later, we were dismissed by the photographer and everyone went home to change for the reception. Kelly wanted to stay in her dress so we decided to wait at the venue in the bridal suite.

As soon as the door closed behind us, I started kissing her. Grabbing handfuls of her dress, I pulled her hips against mine and guided her back toward the couch in the corner of the room. At this point, it seemed impossible to stop kissing her, especially as she reclined under me. I gradually started pulling her dress up, but I only made it to mid-calf before she pulled back.

“Something wrong?” I asked, catching my breath.

“No. I just bought something special for you, but I want to wait until tonight to show it to you,” she answered.

“Well, now I really want to see,” I said, very intrigued. “But tonight, when we have all the time in the world, it’ll be even better.”

“I mean, that doesn’t mean we can’t make out,” she replied, pointedly.

“Oh. Great. That’s great,” I replied, leaning back down to kiss her again but keeping my hands above her waist.

The way she was moaning against my mouth made it difficult not to take things further and having to imagine what was under that dress all night only compounded the torture. We didn’t pull apart until James knocked on the door to let us know it was time for our entrance. We took a moment to calm down before meeting the DJ at the ballroom entrance. The whole day had been truly surreal, but walking into a room packed with friends and family for the first time with my wife’s hand in mine really brought it to another level. For our first dance together, I might have held her closer than strictly necessary, but I wanted to keep her mind on sex as much as possible tonight. I wanted her to beg me to take the dress off of her. 

That mood was slightly interrupted by Lenore’s speech. I arranged for her to do it early in the evening because she was taking Emma home early tonight. Only seconds into the speech, tears were on Kelly’s cheeks and I rubbed her back to comfort her. It was a very healing moment for the pair and I was happy that Kelly was finally getting the relationship with her mother that she deserved. James delivered on his promise of making me cry with one of the most eloquent speeches I’d ever heard from anyone. By the end of the speeches, we were more than ready to get to the fun part of the night. The early dinner breezed by and fueled the dancing through the rest of the night. Things seemed to be happening faster than I could even fully absorb and I was even more thankful for the photographer in that moment.

With the open bar, I hadn’t kept track of how much either of us had to drink, but it wasn’t even 10pm before keeping our hands off of each other became too inconvenient. I looked around while we danced, noticing that everyone seemed to be distracted and having a good time.

“You want to go?” I asked, pulling her even closer.

“We can’t,” she replied, scandalized.

“Who says?”

“If we do, they’re all going to think we left to have sex,” Kelly replied.

“We _are_ leaving to have sex,” I answered.

“Okay, but I don’t need everyone knowing that,” she said.

“They won’t notice,” I said, letting the alcohol speak my mind.

“I know you don’t really believe that,” she scoffed. 

Despite her verbal resistance, her body language refuted it every step of the way. I felt a deeper warmth as her hips pushed closer. The thumping music was the second loudest sound as my heart pounded in my ears. I knew she’d already made up her mind and just needed the slightest push.

“The car is outside,” I said, having given the driver a sizable tip to stay ready.

The macarena had just started so everyone was on the dance floor. It was the perfect time to make our escape and I piled Kelly’s train into the car behind her before getting in and shutting the door. The hotel we were staying in for the night was only a ten-minute drive from the wedding venue so I immediately pulled my wife into my lap and started kissing her exposed chest. She tilted my head back, kissing me as she started to rock her hips. The pressure was not enough to get either of us off, especially with so much fabric still between us. With her dress pooled around us on the seat, it was easy to reach the hem. My hands inched up along Kelly’s legs, the white stockings soft under my fingertips.

“Be patient,” she breathed, pulling out of the kiss abruptly.

“Have we met?” I asked, laughing at the absurdity of the suggestion.

I started kissing her again, fighting to keep my hands from slipping under her dress. It certainly made the rest of the trip fly by and as we stopped outside the front doors of the hotel, Kelly dropped back into her seat beside me. We got out, quickly grabbing out overnight bags from the trunk and rushing in to check in at the front desk. I could practically feel the heat radiating off of Kelly’s skin even though she was about two feet away. It was nearly impossible to concentrate or focus on anything else. Once we had the key, we rushed to the elevator and we were the only ones inside. ‘Patience’ reverberated in my mind as it crawled up to the third floor. The doors slowly glided open and I scanned the room numbers on our walk down the hall, gripping the key a little tighter than I meant to. 

When I got the door open, I pulled her hastily inside, not making it much further than the door. Her back was against it, my hips holding her there. Throughout the night, I’d been subtly observing her dress, planning the best course of action for getting it off of her. I was about to turn her around when she beat me to it. Her chest pressed against the door and the lace ties holding the back closed provided a challenge, but once I got the knot untied, it unraveled, hanging loosely. So far, I could see a strapless bra that was an even sharper white than her dress, the lace extending to the middle of her ribcage. I wanted to see the rest so badly that I soon found myself pushing the dress down over her hips. It was briefly detained on the pronounced swell of her perfect ass. I threw it over the dresser while pulling Kelly toward the bed. Her matching thong would soon give my hands full access to the pliant flesh.

The thin straps of the attached garters drew my eyes down to the stockings I’d been ascending moments ago in the car. She looked so good that I didn’t even know where to start and she used my hesitant pause to take over. Pulling me to her by my belt, she quickly began undoing the remaining buttons of my shirt. Some had already been undone during the past few hours of dancing. While I pulled my shirt the rest of the way off, I felt Kelly working at my pants and soon they were pooled around my ankles. I kicked them off along with my shoes and socks and climbed on top of her, both of us in the same state of dress now.

“You look so fucking good, babe. I want you so much,” I said, feeling her legs open wider beneath me.

“Come here,” she whispered, pulling me down so that my chest was against hers.

There was very little space between us so I settled for moving my hips against her while we went back to kissing. Her fingers dragging all over my skin made me even more aware of every sensation and soon I got very lost in it. I wanted to take more off of her, but the way she was gripping me and guiding my motion against her was something I didn’t dare interrupt. Every time my lower body pushed against her, she let out a soft groan and they got higher in pitch as time went on. I kissed her neck, sucking on it almost enough to leave marks because the roughness had Kelly losing control. One of her arms wrapped around my back while the opposite hand clutched my backside, urging me to use more pressure. I savored every strike and the forced friction was overwhelming.

Kelly’s moan was loud yet constricted as her body closed in around mine. She tightened, leaving not a single centimeter between us as I used every last ounce of effort to push her hips down into the bed with my own. Then, she stopped moving altogether and she let out a long, slow exhale. I was still teetering on the edge, but decided to wait until she was ready to go again.

“God, I haven’t come from dry humping since, I don’t know, forever,” Kelly said when her breaths evened.

“I really like this,” I said, settling next to her and tracing the top of her bra.

“Good,” she answered. “Give me a few minutes and you can help me take it off.”

Despite how perfectly things turned out, Kelly almost didn’t marry me today. In the quiet moments that followed her orgasm, that was all I could think about. While things had been resolved, I felt guilt for the way it had been weighing on Kelly. It didn’t matter that I was unaware. It didn’t change anything.

“I’m sorry for today,” I started after a few long moments of silence.

“ _You’re_ sorry?” she asked, shaking her head from side to side.

“I should have talked to you about it. Changing jobs is a big decision that affects both of us. I just didn’t want you to feel conflicted. I know that you support what I do even though it scares you and I’d never put you in a position where you’d feel like you have to decide between my happiness or yours. Because this decision makes me happy, too.”

“If you’re happy, then so am I. And I should have said something sooner, too.”

“Why didn’t you?” I asked, tentatively.

“I guess… I guess I kept hoping that fear would go away. Then, at my party, Kara was saying how she admired the good communication that you and I have and it just kind of made everything worse. It was all I could think about until I put the dress on and I just… froze.”

“I wish I hadn’t made you feel that way on your wedding day.”

“Well, ditto to that. But right now, I’m more concerned about the wedding night,” she answered, raising one eyebrow pointedly.

Once again, I admired her ability to turn any situation or conversation back in this favorable direction. And I felt better now, getting all of those things off of my chest. I always felt better telling her everything and it only made sense to make her my wife.


End file.
